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Psychological Studies 
in Lutheranism 



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| PSYCHOLOGICAL | 

I STUDIES 1 

|| IN I| 

| LUTHERANISM | 

II B * II 

|| Paul Harold Heisey, M. A. || 

1| Introduction by |i 

|| The Rev. Professor J. A. Clutz, D. D. ! j 

11 Professor of Practical Theology 1 1 

in The Lutheran Theological Seminary, 11 

11 Gettysburg-, Pa. \W 



19 16 

THE GERMAN LITERARY BOARD 
BURLINGTON. IOWA 



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Copyright 1916 
By R. NEUMANN 

BURLINGTON, IOWA 




LC Control Number 




JUN lu i9j6 tmp9e 028677 

©GI.A433351 



TO 

Jfflp tfloblp parents 

Whose lives of devotion and sacrifice 

have been an inspiration to 

a grateful son 




PREFACE 

HE essays which are included in this 
volume are intended chiefly to be sug- 
gestive in awakening an interest among 
pastors, catechists, and teachers in the 
application of psychology to the phenomena of re- 
ligion, to the end that religious work will be more 
efficient. 

Chapter II was prepared as a thesis in partial 
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of 
Master of Arts at the State University of Iowa. It 
was written under the guidance of Professor Ed- 
win D. Starbuck, Ph. D., to whom the author owes 
the impulse to engage in studies along the line of 
these essays. 

Chapters I, II, and III have appeared in the 
Lutheran Quarterly and are reprinted here through 
the courtesy of the editors, Drs. Singmaster, Clutz, 
and Gotwald. Chapter IV has appeared in the 
Lutheran Church Review and is included in this 
volume through the kindness of the editor, the Eev. 
T. E. Schmauk, D. D., LL.D. To these editors I 
wish to express my thanks. 

I also wish to express my gratitude to Profes- 
sor J. A. Clutz, D. D., for preparing the "Introduc- 
tion' ' and for his constant encouragement. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction 9 

CHAPTER 

I. The Psychological Study of Keligion . 21 

II. A Study in the Mysticism of Luther . . 39 

III. A Psychological Study of Lutheranism . 99 

IV. The Psychology of the Eeligious Revival 117 
V. The Psychology of Confirmation . . . 131 




INTRODUCTION 

By Rev. Jacob A. Clutz, D. D., 

Professor of Practical Theology in the Lutheran Theological 
Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa. 



R. Heisey has asked me to write a brief 
Introduction to his volume on Psycho- 
logical Studies in Luther anism. It is 
with no small pleasure that I comply 
with his request. 

My acquaintance with Mr. Heisey began in the 
autumn of 1903 when he came from his home in 
Lancaster, Pa., to enter Midland College, Atchison, 
Kansas, to prepare for the Lutheran ministry. 
Though I resigned the presidency of Midland Col- 
lege a few months later and removed to the East, 
I had become interested in the earnest young stu- 
dent and have followed his career ever since with 
interest. By correspondence, and in various other 
ways, I have also kept in touch with him and his 
work, both as a student and as a pastor. 

As a student Mr. Heisey was always faithful 
and diligent. During his college course he was 
especially interested in the literary work and in 
public speaking. Early in the course he prepared 
several illustrated lectures which he delivered be- 



10 Introduction 

fore Young People's Societies and in many 
churches. These lectures received much favorable 
comment from pastors and others, especially one on 
Martin Luther and the Eeformation. 

Mr. Heisey graduated from Midland College in 
1907 with the degree of A. B., and from the West- 
ern Theological Seminary of the General Synod 
Lutheran Church, also located at Atchison, in 1910. 
His first charge was at North Liberty, Iowa, where 
he served as pastor of the Lutheran church from 
1910 to 1914. As North Liberty was not far from 
Iowa City, the seat of the Iowa State University, 
and his pastoral duties were not very exacting, Mr. 
Heisey at once entered on a course of study at the 
State University, from which he received the Mas- 
ter's degree in 1911. He continued as a graduate 
student in the university from 1912 to 1915, his 
chief subjects being Philosophy and Psychology. 
He has also given much attention to the subject of 
Keligious Education and expects to make this a 
specialty in the future. 

In connection with his studies in the university 
Mr. Heisey became deeply interested in the Psy- 
chology of Keligion and gave much attention to it. 
At that time this was still a comparatively new sub- 
ject, at least as a separate course. One of the first 
to apply the study of Psychology definitely to sub- 
jects connected with religious experience was Pro- 
fessor J. H. Leuba, who published an article on 
The Psychology of Religious Phenomena in The 
American Journal of Psychology in 1896. Profes- 



Introduction 11 

sor Leuba has since become one of the recognized 
authorities on the subject. 

However, Professor E. D. Starbuck had then 
already been at work for a considerable time along 
similar lines. As early as 1890 he had read a paper 
before the College Association of Indiana in which 
the suggestion was made that the phenomena con- 
nected with religious experience might be studied 
and classified scientifically just as any other activ- 
ities of the mind or spirit such as had been usually 
considered under Psychology. Finally, in 1899, he 
published his book, The Psychology of Religion, 
and thus blazed the way for a new development of 
thought. 

I understand that Professor Starbuck has since 
recognized the fact that the title of this volume was 
somewhat of a misnomer, as the most that its con- 
tents would have justified would have been The 
Psychology of Conversion. But it was a beginning, 
and in this sense at least it was an epoch-making 
book. It called attention to the subject, aroused 
great interest in it, and set many others to working 
along the same or similar lines. The result has 
been an ever growing series of volumes on this gen- 
eral subject coming from many different authors, 
both in this country and abroad. Some of the more 
important of these are mentioned by Mr. Heisey in 
his first chapter on The Psychological Study of 
Religion. 

Opinion may still be divided as to the ultimate 
value of this new application of modern Psychol- 



12 Introduction 

ogy, or concerning its effect on Christian experi- 
ence and life, or even on Christianity itself. If, 
as seems to be the tendency with some writers, the 
object is to explain all the phenomena of religion, 
even those connected with the Christian religion, 
in a purely naturalistic way so as to exclude all 
supernatural elements and to make all religion, in- 
cluding Christianity, a mere natural phenomenon 
of a mechanical evolution or development, it may 
prove to be a curse rather than a blessing, a dis- 
tinct hindrance rather than a help in Christian ex- 
perience and life. 

But this is not a necessary result of subsuming 
religious phenomena under Psychology. Many 
writers on the subject do not call in question the 
supernatural origin of Christianity, or the super- 
natural elements in a Christian experience, such as 
conversion, or the conquest of sin, or growth in 
holiness. Quite to the contrary, they find a definite 
place for the contact of the divine and the human, 
and for the entrance of divine power into human 
experience and human life. The only effort of 
these writers is to put all these phenomena on a 
scientific basis, and to explain them in a rational 
way, as far as this may be possible. In this there 
may be great good. 

It is perhaps too soon, as yet, to say or even to 
see, what the final outcome may be. But, certainly, 
much light has been thrown already on many of 
the phenomena of the Christian experience, espe- 
cially such as temptation, repentance, conversion, 



Introduction 13 

faith, hope, etc. Very valuable help has thus beeu 
given to pastors and Sunday School teachers and 
to all others who are engaged in religious instruc- 
tion and culture. The study of this subject must 
be especially helpful to all who have anything to do 
with the religious education and training of the 
young. That this is generally recognized by edu- 
cators is seen in the place which has been given to 
it already in the curriculums of most theological 
seminaries, and in the various courses of study pre- 
pared for the use of Sunday School Teachers' 
Training Classes. 

The chief interest, however, in this book by Mr. 
Heisey lies in the fact that it is the first formal and 
extended attempt, so far as I know, to apply the 
Psychology of Keligion to the interpretation of the 
Christian experience and life of a particular de- 
nomination, as indicated in the title, Psychological 
Studies in Lutheranism. 

Of course the germs of this use of the new sub- 
ject have been present from the beginning, and 
there has been a gradual and growing tendency in 
this direction that has prepared the way for such 
a volume. In the very first book on the subject, by 
Professor Starbuck, there is the recognition of a 
marked difference in the Christian experiences of 
different persons. Especially is this the case in 
conversion, the experience to which Professor Star- 
buck largely confines his discussion. A broad and 
distinct line of demarkation is traced between those 
who enter on the Christian life by a crisis experi- 



14 Introduction 

ence that is often cyclonic in its intensity, and 
those who gradually grow into a clear conscious- 
ness of their saved relation to God through faith 
in Jesus Christ. The former can, of course, ever 
afterward point to the exact time and place at 
which they "first saw the Lord." The latter may 
never know just when or where they crossed the 
line and became the true children of God. Or, they 
may testify, as many have done, that they never 
knew a time when they did not love God and Jesus 
Christ and call them Father and Saviour. More- 
over, this difference in experience is there traced to 
differences in mental constitution, and in education 
and environment, which naturally manifest them- 
selves not only in conversion but also in the entire 
religious experience. 

These same facts are developed still further and 
more clearly stated and emphasized in Professor 
James' great book on The Varieties of Religious 
Experience. The very title of this volume, which 
contains the Gilford Lectures delivered by Profes- 
sor James before the University of Edinburgh in 
1901-1902, suggests the fact that not all can expect, 
or be expected, to have precisely the same experi- 
ence. How natural, therefore, that those whose ex- 
perience is similar should be drawn together by 
mutual sympathy and a common understanding, 
and in this fact we have the natural basis for the 
different denominations. Professor James fre- 
quently refers, in his discussion, to the psycho- 
logical differences between the Catholics and Pro- 



Introduction 15 

testants in explanation of the differences in their 
beliefs and forms of worship, and in their attitudes 
toward the truth and the Church. He also sug- 
gests this as one explanation of the differences be- 
tween some of the leading Protestant bodies. He 
even refers to the psychological peculiarities of 
Luther, and Calvin, and Wesley, and Jonathan Ed- 
wards, and others, in explanation of their peculiar 
religious views and experiences, though he does not 
develop these suggestions very far. 

Then, still a little later, in a volume by the Rev- 
erend George Barton Cutten, D. D., on The Psy- 
chological Phenomena of Christianity, published in 
1908, we find a separate chapter on Denomination- 
alism. In this the position is taken that "men are 
psychologically so constituted that different things 
appeal to different persons, and religiously these 
things are represented by different denominations." 
In answer to the question, "Cannot men be suffi- 
ciently loyal to Jesus Christ to give up their petty 
differences?", a question we often hear asked in 
effect even if not in just these words, Dr. Cutten 
continues very truly and very wisely: "They are 
so loyal to Jesus that they will not surrender what 
to them is truth. Are the citizens of this country 
less patriotic because they are divided into numer- 
ous political parties? They express their patriot- 
ism by espousing those principles, the adoption of 
which they believe would assist in the country's 
prosperity. Denominations are a necessity and 
will continue to be, so long as men's minds operate 



16 Introduction 

as they do now. And these differences show God's 
handiwork as plainly as the planets in the heavens 
which shine with different brilliancy, travel in dif- 
ferent orbits, and attract different satellites." 

Mr. Heisey is simply following this lead when 
he now undertakes in this volume to present a 
study, from the standpoint of Psychology, of some 
of the peculiarities of the great Lutheran Church 
to which he belongs, and of Martin Luther, the 
great Reformer, to whom under God the Lutheran 
Church owes its origin and its name, as well as 
many of its characteristics in doctrine and life. 
The work may be somewhat fragmentary and in- 
complete, as all such pioneer work is apt to be al- 
most of necessity. But it is a very interesting and 
promising beginning. I have no doubt that it will 
be followed in due time by more elaborate studies 
of the same character, either by the same author, 
or by others, very likely by both. 

Not only so, but it will in all probability sug- 
gest similar studies of the other great denomina- 
tions, and eventually comparative studies of the 
different denominations. And who knows but that 
such studies may prove by and by to be an import- 
ant step towards a better understanding between 
the several denominations of Christians and a more 
fraternal relation and cooperation. 

I have little hope that denominationalism will 
ever entirely disappear from the Christian Church, 
just because of this psychological basis for them. 
Neither am I sure that it would be desirable that 



Introduction 17 

it should. Each, denomination, certainly each of 
the great historic denominations, has stood and 
still stands for the defense and development of 
some special doctrine or phase of Christian experi- 
ence and life, and in this way the faith, and life, 
and experience of the Church as a whole, have been 
greatly enlarged and enriched. I entirely agree, 
therefore, with Dr. Cutten when he says, at the 
close of his chapter on Denominationalism : "On 
account of the psychological differences in people, 
there is no likelihood of denominationalism being 
entirely eliminated. The doctrines of different de- 
nominations may appear to be almost or quite con- 
tradictory, and these denominations can never 
agree to abandon either or both doctrines, and if 
they should, Christianity would suffer a distinct 
loss rather than a gain." 

But just because of this it seems to me that the 
several denominations must have an increased re- 
spect for each other, and a greater spirit of charity 
and tolerance if, by a study of the psychological 
reasons for their existence, they can be brought to 
a better understanding of each other and to see that 
their differences are not the result of mere wilfull- 
ness and stubbornness, but that they are based on 
the very nature of things, and especially on the 
nature of the people themselves, that they are but 
the outgrowth and expression of the "varieties of 
religious experience" that are natural and unavoid- 
able because of the "varieties" of the people who 
have these experiences. Then these different de- 



18 Introduction 

nominations will be more ready also to work to- 
gether harmoniously for the righting of wrongs, 
for the overthrow of evil, for the defeat of error, 
for the triumph of truth and righteousness, and for 
the coming of the Kingdom of God and of His Son, 
Jesus Christ. If such a time should ever come, I 
believe that then our Lord's prayer for His disci- 
ples that "they all may be one," will be answered 
more truly and more fully than it ever could be by 
any organic union that would combine all the de- 
nominations into one great all-inclusive Church. 

It is just because I believe that they will con- 
tribute to this end that I welcome and commend 
Mr. Heisey's book, and all similar studies of the 
psychology of Lutheranism, or of any of the other 
great bodies of Christ's disciples. 

Gettysburg, Pa., 
March 27th, 1916. 



The Psychological Study 
of Religion 




CHAPTEE I 

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY 
OF RELIGION 

HE growth, of the science and study of 
psychology has been phenomenal in re- 
cent years. It may be said that "it began 
with an analysis of simple ideas and feel- 
ings, and it has developed to an insight into the 
mechanism of the highest acts and emotions, 
thoughts and creations. It started by studying the 
mental life of the individual, and it has rushed for- 
ward to the physical organization of society, to so- 
cial psychology, to the psychology of art and sci- 
ence, religion and language, history and law. m 
The application of psychology and the methods of 
science to religion is of recent date. 

Much that had been done in the fields of an- 
thropology, history of religion, and the philosophy 
of religion borders on that which, has come to be 
distinctively known as the psychology of religion. 
The first work attempted in the field of the psy- 
chology of religion as a distinctive study was that 
by Professor E. D. Starbuck, Ph.D. While a stu- 

1 Muensterberg-, Psychology and Life, p. 2. 



22 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

dent in college ( 1886-1890 ) lie was very much inter- 
ested in the study of Comparative Keligion. While 
teaching at Vincennes College ( 1891-1893 ) he read 
Max Mueller's volume on "Science of Religion," 
which gave him a fresh impulse in the study of re- 
ligion and also crystallized his own longings after 
the possibility of applying empirical methods to 
the study of religion. Resigning his position he 
entered Harvard University in 1893 to pursue 
studies related to his chosen field of inquiry. On 
arriving at Harvard he issued two questionnaires, 
one on "Conversion," and the other on "The Line 
of Growth in Religious Experience," not attended 
by conversion. Previous to this, in 1890, Professor 
Starbuck read a paper before the Indiana College 
Association, which was his "first crystallization of 
vague ideas which had been forming, that religion 
might be studied in the more careful ways we call 
scientific, with profit to both science and religion." 
The psychology of religion as a field of investiga- 
tion was soon taken up by the faculty and students 
of Clark University. 2 This school had paid much 
attention to the study of adolescence and this study 
brought forth many interesting facts relating to 
the religious experiences of adolescents. As early 
as 1882, Dr. G. Stanley Hall contributed a paper 
to the Princeton Review entitled "The Moral and 
Religious Training of Children," which opened the 
way for more extensive studies along the same line. 

2 For a sketch of the history of this science see "The Psy- 
chology of Religion," by James B. Pratt, Harvard Theological 
Review, Vol. I, No. 4, p. 435. 



The Psychological Study of Religion 23 

Mr. William H. Burnham and Arthur H. Daniels 
made investigations which were of a nature of the 
psychology of religion although leaning toward an- 
thropology and adolescent psychology. In 1896 
Professor James H. Leuba published a paper on 
"The Psychology of Keligious Phenomena" in 
which he dealt chiefly with the conversion experi- 
ence. This was followed by the work of Mr. E. Gr. 
Lancaster, and later the published work of Pro- 
fessor Starbuck entitled "The Psychology of Ee- 
ligion." This latter was the first large publication 
bearing upon this new field of study. The author 
himself admits that the title was a misnomer, since 
the volume dealt with only a few of the problems 
of the new-born science and was in no sense a com- 
plete survey or treatment of the subject, which it 
could not have been at that early stage of develop- 
ment. This work has remained as one of the two or 
three great contributions to the science of the psy- 
chology of religion. The sub-title of the work by 
Dr. Starbuck is "an empirical study of the religious 
consciousness." Other early studies in this field 
were those of Professor George A. Coe which bore 
the title "The Spiritual Life : Studies in the Science 
of Beligion," and the studies of Luther H. Gulick on 
"Age, Sex, and Conversion." It is striking to know 
that though Professors Coe and Starbuck worked 
independently they arrived at very much the same 
conclusion in reference to the religious awakening 
of adolescents and also in reference to the conver- 
sion experience. 



24 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

Probably the next great contribution to this 
field which should be mentioned is Professor Wil- 
liam James' volume on " Varieties of Eeligious Ex- 
perience. " This entered a larger field than the psy- 
chology of the religious consciousness and involved 
the philosophical side of religion in that it sought 
the ultimate significance of the facts upon the 
problems of religion. Other studies which should 
be mentioned in the development of the science of 
the psychology of religion are Davenport's "Prim- 
itive Traits in Religious Revivals," Pratt's "The 
Psychology of Religious Belief," Stratton's "The 
Psychology of the Religious Life," Ames' "The Psy- 
chology of Religious Experience," Lueba's "A Psy- 
chological Study of Religion," King's "The De- 
velopment of Religion," and Warner's "The Psy- 
chology of the Christian Life." Though we have 
not mentioned all of the contributions to this field 
of study, the above sketch points out the chief 
studies and the main lines of the development of 
the science. 

The very nature of religion warrants a psycho- 
logical study of it. "Religious experience is made 
up of the same elements as the rest of the conscious 
life, and these elements are connected and elabor- 
ated according to laws holding for mental life gen- 
erally." From the standpoint of psychology, re- 
ligion is a "mass of ascertainable states of con- 
sciousness." Thus, the psychology of religion can 
be looked upon as a branch of psychology dealing 
with the religious consciousness only, or that part 



The Psychological Study of Religion 25 

of consciousness which is concerned with that 
which we term religion, and the activities connect- 
ed with it. The psychology of religion is the search 
for law, for uniformities among religious phenom- 
ena. In the thought of Professor Coe, the search 
is one to determine "under what circumstances 
does the Divine Spirit work such or such a change 
in the minds of men?" 3 This is in harmony with 
the starting point or ideal of the psychology of re- 
ligion as a science : "There is no event in the spir- 
itual life which does not occur in accordance with 
immutable laws." This does not imply that man 
will discover all these laws, or having discovered 
them will be able to determine their full signifi- 
cance. In any sphere a law is an abstract thing and 
in the field of religion as in other fields we can de- 
termine many things that will be of concrete value 
though not obtaining all abstract law in the par- 
ticular field. "The end of our study is not to resolve 
the mystery of religion, but to bring enough of it 
into orderliness that its facts may appeal to our 
understanding." 

It might be argued that such a study of the re- 
ligious life would "drag it down" or destroy its 
majesty. But surely botany has not dragged down 
the beauty of the flower nor has astronomy de- 
stroyed the majesty of the heavens. The discovery 
of law and uniformity exalts the object in which it 
is found. Every new discovery is a new bit of 
knowledge of God. Every new law is a new evi- 

3 George A. Coe: The Spiritual Life, p. 17. 



26 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

dence of God. "All's law, but all's God." George 
Stevens writes in his "Psychology of the Christian 
Soul:" "The spiritual process is God working 
through the minds of men." The scientist in any 
field does not concern himself with the ultimate 
origin of things but with facts concerning it as ob- 
served in life and his task is the interpretation of 
these facts. So, "the explanations of religion which 
the psychologist and the sociologist can give leave 
unanswered, of course, the question of ultimate 
origin." 

Whether or not we can speak of a science of the 
psychology of religion is a debatable question. It 
is perfectly clear that as yet we have no well de- 
veloped science of the psychology of religion. 
Whether we can have is yet to be seen. This ques- 
tion hinges somewhat upon our definition of a sci- 
ence and our conception of scientific law. As yet 
we have very little in the way of generalized truths 
from the study of the psychology of religion and 
yet the psychology of religion presupposes that 
there is law in the spiritual realm as in the natural 
realm. When these laws, or some of them, are dis- 
covered we shall approach a science, until then the 
psychology of religion will concern itself with dis- 
covering the facts of the religious life and con- 
sciousness, describing them, classifying them, and 
attempting to explain them. The charge might be 
brought that science should not invade the inner 
chambers of the soul and search for laws there, but 
science has faced objections in every step of its pro- 



The Psychological Study of Religion 27 

gress until now it has come to invade the most 
sacred precincts. It has left religion for its final 
and supreme task. 

There is somewhat of general agreement as to 
the field of the psychology of religion although not 
all investigators have conceived of the work and 
the scope of it in exactly the same way. Some have 
placed the emphasis upon the rise and development 
of religion in the race, while others have placed the 
emphasis upon the study of the religious conscious- 
ness of the individual. Others have taken both 
views into account. 

"The business of the psychology of religion," ac- 
cording to Professor Starbuck, "is to bring together 
a systematized body of evidence which shall make 
it possible to comprehend new regions in the spir- 
itual life of man, and to read old dogmas in larger 
and fresher light." 4 

According to Professor Ames: "The psycholo- 
gist of religion accepts the facts of religion, the 
temples and priests, the sacred books and ceremon- 
ies, the faiths and the customs which exist in such 
profusion throughout the world. He seeks to know 
the needs, impulses, and desires from which these 
institutions and activities arise. He inquires con- 
cerning the circumstances under which they appear 
in the race and the individual. He attempts to 
trace their development into settled institutions, 
doctrines, and emotions. He marks the part they 

4 Starbuck: The Psychology of Religion, p. 6. 



28 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

play, the function they perform in the experience 
of the individual and of society." 5 For Professor 
Pratt, the work of the psychologist of religion is 
"to describe the workings of the human mind, as 
far as they are influenced by its attitude toward 
the Determiner of Destiny." 6 

The specific work of the psychology of the Chris- 
tian life is indicated by Dr. Warner in these words : 
"Christian psychology is the study of the soul in 
its exhibition of the phenomena of the Christian 
life. It is the systematic, scientific knowledge of 
psychical activities involved in Christian experi- 
ence and their co-ordinations in conduct and char- 
acter. It is the exploration of the entire field of 
inter-related phenomena appearing in the life of the 
Christian. It is the classification of all the facts 
thus discoverable in their correlated order. It is 
the formulation of the evident laws of the spiritual, 
experimental action developed under the Gospel of 
Jesus Christ." 7 

These definitions indicate the various phases of 
the work, the distinctively psychological, both the 
individual and social ; and the anthropological and 
sociological. 

In the past much of the study of the psychology 
of religion has been devoted to investigations of 
the conversion experience. Professor Starbuck's 
book considers conversion, lines of growth not in- 

5 Ames: The Psychology of Religious Experience, p. 13. 

6 Pratt: The Psychology of Religion, in The Journal of Re- 
ligious Psychology, Vol. 5, No. 4, p. 383. 

7 Warner: The Psychology of the Christian Life, p. 33. 



The Psychological Study of Religion 29 

eluding conversion, and a comparison of the lines 
of growth with and without conversion. But the 
field is much larger and studies have been made of 
faith, prayer, revelations, religious states and re- 
ligious practices. The chief problems of the psy- 
chology of religion have been classified by Profes- 
sor James H. Leuba under four heads: "(1) The 
impulses, motives and aims; (2) the means em- 
ployed to reach the ends — ceremonial, prayer, com- 
munion, etc.; (3) the results secured; (4) the 
means and the results considered in relation of 
cause and effect. 7 ' 8 Again, the field of the psychol- 
ogy of religion might be further indicated by these 
additional subjects : the determination of "what is 
religion?" types of belief, mysticism, storm and 
stress in adolescence, habit and conversion, the 
meaning of regeneration, the meaning of sanctifi- 
cation, a study of the religious instinct, religion as 
a harmonizing instinct, religion as a stimulus to 
life, religion and conduct, temperament in religion, 
the meaning of religion in personal and social life. 
Chiefly the empirical method is being used in 
the psychology of religion. The earliest investi- 
gators adopted the questionnaire method which 
since then has been used extensively in this field 
of inquiry, though discountenanced at the present 
time as not being very scientific and as not getting 
at the facts in the best manner. In gathering data 
use has been made of autobiographies, biographies, 
letters, spontaneous expressions, history, anthro- 

8 Leuba: A Psychological Study of Religion. 



30 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

pology, and informal discussions. The older meth- 
ods have been supplanted by the analytical and the 
experimental. 

We need not fear this invasion of science into 
religion, for assuming that we live in a world of 
order we cannot conclude other than that law op- 
erates in the spiritual realm and in the religious 
consciousness as in the rest of life. The psychology 
of religion does not imply the elimination of the 
supernatural from religion and the religious life 
unless the evidence of law in nature is the ground 
for eliminatng the supernatural from the natural. 
Contending that such dread is needless, Dr. War- 
ner writes : "Scrutiny can change no fact. Truths 
are the same in the shadow or in the sunlight. Beal- 
ities are invulnerable and unchangeable to what- 
ever process subjected. The constituent elements of 
the life we call Christian are substantial, real, un- 
alterable. They are the eternal verities of the life 
begotten of God in the soul. No possible handling 
can render them less real or change their essential 
nature. The dread of their scrutiny is a confession 
either of our inability to demonstrate their substan- 
tial nature or of our imperfect faith in their inde- 
structible reality. All such dread is without ade- 
quate reason and actually groundless.' 79 

We can anticipate most wholesome results from 
this study of religion from the psychological stand- 
point, not only for science but especially for re- 

9 Warner, op cit., p. 32. 



The Psychological Study of Religion 31 

ligion itself, for from the viewpoint of the pastor 
and religious worker the psychology of religion ex- 
ists for religion and not religion for psychology. 
Very suggestive are the words of Professor James 
in his introduction to Professor Starbuck's book: 
"Sightly interpreted, the whole tendency of Dr. 
Starbuck's patient labor is to bring compromise 
and conciliation into the long standing feud of Sci- 
ence and Religion." 

The service of the psychology of religion to re- 
ligion is indicated in the words of Professor Leuba : 
"Religion needs as much as any other practical 
activity the kind of purification and guidance that 
science provides. It needs in particular the insight 
into the dynamics of conscious life which can be 
contributed, not by studies in comparative religion 
nor by criticism of sacred texts, but only by psy- 
chology." 

The psychology of religion should lend informa- 
tion as to the origin and solution of such problems 
of the Christian Church as: the decay of the re- 
vival, alienation from the church of whole classes 
of the population, the excess of women over men in 
church life, the apparent powerlessness of organ- 
ized religion to suppress or seriously check the 
great organized vices and injustices of society, the 
failure of the Sunday School to accomplish more 
definite results in the dissemination of Bible knowl- 
edge/ 



10 



10 Suggested by Coe in his "Spiritual Life." 



32 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

The psychology of religion will aid in applying 
the great truths of the Bible to life. Professor 
Bowne has suggested that "a great many things 
may be theologically true which are not psycho- 
logically true." "We may express and explain the 
experience in terms of doctrine, and in doing so we 
may have the truth; nevertheless, the doctrine is 
not a fact of consciousness, but a theory about the 
fact." 11 The great Bible doctrines must be in- 
terpreted in the light of human nature, and their 
application must be adapted to each individual. 
"Conversion" may be definitely stated as a theo- 
logical formula but its meaning in experience 
varies with individuals. The psychology of religion 
ought to aid in a true interpretation of these funda- 
mental conceptions of religion. 

The study of the abnormal and the pathological 
in religion — for there are such instances — ought to 
lead to principles applicable in the securing of the 
normal in religious experience just as the study of 
physical disease has aided mankind to take pre- 
cautionary steps to conserve health and the study 
of insanity has lead to information concerning the 
laws of mental health. 

There are many practical results that should 
follow from the study of the psychology of religion 
that are of special value to the minister of the Gos- 
pel or the teacher of religion. Such a study ought 
to "increase our power of appreciation of spiritual 

11 Bowne: Studies in Christianity, p. 199. 



The Psychological Study of Religion 33 

things," as a scientific study of the flowers, the 
rocks, the stars increases appreciation of them. 
Such a study ought to strengthen the faith of the 
religious man for he sees the reality of religion for 
life, and is convinced above all else that man is a 
"religious being" and that he has religious needs 
that must be met. 

The study of the psychology of religion should 
lead and is leading to greater wisdom in religious 
education. A recent inquiry of the Student De- 
partment of the Young Men's Christian Associa- 
tion shows that forty-five colleges offer required 
courses in Eeligious Education and that eighty 
have elective courses in it. These courses profess 
to be based largely upon a supposed knowledge of 
the psychology of religion and of child study. This 
study would give us sound pedagogical principles. 
"The service of psychology to practical religion is 
to make possible a harvest of wiser means in moral 
and religious culture, and also to lift religion suffi- 
ciently out of the domain of feeling to make an ap- 
peal to the understanding." 

The study of the psychology of religion con- 
vinces one that there are different lines of religious 
development and growth. To be convinced of this 
leads one to adopt methods of work to meet the 
needs and conditions of each individual. One great 
danger in the work of a religious teacher is to make 
"his experience a standard by which to judge and 
guide the experience of others." This has led to 
many mistakes in religious nurture and culture. 



34 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

To demand that each should "come to the Lord" by 
the same road and through the same experience is 
unscientific, untrue to nature. This also suggests 
that there are stages of spiritual growth from 
childhood to maturity and the religious appeal and 
the spiritual food should be adapted to each stage. 
This study ought to equip the religious worker to 
realize "the importance of wisely anticipating the 
stages of growth and leading on naturally and 
easily from one stage to another." It will aid him 
to meet doubt, hesitation, and objection in a wise 
manner. It will add to his zeal knowledge, for 
neither zeal without knowledge nor knowledge 
without zeal will suffice. 

Especially should a science such as the psy- 
chology of religion be of worth and value to the 
religious leader in the Lutheran Church which has 
always laid strong emphasis upon the religious 
training and the education of her children and 
youth, and upon methods that are now receiving 
the commendation of modern scientific thought. 
Lutheran pastors have had their attention called 
to, and their interest awakened in the relations of 
psychology to their work by the words of Dr. G. H. 
Gerberding in his volume "The Lutheran Cat- 
echist," especially in Chapter III, "The Catechist's 
Study of the Catechumen" and in Chapter XII, 
"The Catechist's Qualifications." In the latter 
chapter he writes : "The good catechist must know 
human nature. He needs to be a psychologist; to 
know not only general psychology, but even more 



The Psychological Study of Religion 35 

does lie need to know child-psychology This 

is very important and helpful for the understand- 
ing of the mental makeup, the mental activity and 

the mental development of child-nature He 

will find much that will help him in his catechis- 
ing." We add, that the psychology of religion has 
the same bearing and important relation to the 
pastor's work as Dr. Gerberding ascribes to child- 
psychology. 

More recently, the attention of Lutheran pas- 
tors has been directed to this study by the Eev. 
Prof. Luther A. Weigle, Ph. D., who has placed 
emphasis upon this field of study in his volume, 
"The Pupil and the Teacher," (Book Two of the 
Lutheran Teacher Training Series) in which he 
acknowledges his indebtedness to such writers as 
Hall, James, and Coe, quoting directly from the 
latter's distinctively psychological treatise on re- 
ligion, "The Spiritual Life." 

Still more recently the Eev. Prof. Leander S. 
Keyser, D. D., has called the attention of Lutheran 
pastors to the relation of psychology to their work, 
in his volume, "A System of Christian Ethics." He 
has done some psychologizing in the field of re- 
ligion touching upon "conversion," and "the un- 
folding life of the regenerated child." 

The Lutheran method of catechization and con- 
firmation offers a fruitful field for investigation 
and an excellent opportunity for the application of 
the approved methods of religious nurture. 

Granting that religion is the highest concern of 



36 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

life; that the human soul is man's greatest posses- 
sion, and its culture the greatest task assigned to 
man; it behooves the Lutheran minister in his 
three-fold capacity of preacher, pastor, and cat- 
echist, to avail himself of the latest results of any 
science that will make him more efficient in the 
discharge of his duties, in the feeding of souls that 
are hungering and thirsting for righteousness. 



A Study in the Mysticism 
of Luther 



CHAPTER II 

A STUDY IN THE MYSTICISM 
OF LUTHER 

I. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MYSTICAL ELEMENT 

IN LUTHER. 




ANY and varied influences converge in 
the religious experience of Luther. It 
is in his early training that we must 
seek the roots and the beginnings of 
his religious life. Both the family and the 
community life of mediaeval times were dis- 
tinctively religious. Luther's parents, Hans and 
Margaret Luther, were of a deeply religious nature, 
and early devoted attention to the religious train- 
ing of their son. There was much in the religious 
thought of the times that was primitive and crass, 
but the religion in general has been characterized 
as "simple, unaffected, and evangelical." 

By heredity, Luther was of a religious turn of 
mind, and grew up in a religious atmosphere. 
Luther's father had a great reverence for the 
Church and religion. It is reported that upon one 
occasion friends found Luther's father engaged in 
prayer while bending over the child Martin in the 



40 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

cradle. Luther's mother was even more religious 
and devout than his father. She constantly had in 
mind the religious training of the child. She early 
taught him to pray. Luther's first religious in- 
struction included the Ten Commandments, the 
Creed, and the Lord's Prayer. This instruction 
had a life-long influence upon him, and he has 
handed down to posterity explanations of these 
norms of religious instruction which are used to 
this day. The religious life of his mother, common 
to the times was marked by superstitions and fears. 
She is described as having been "imaginative, and 
sensitive, the prey of all kinds of conflicting emo- 
tions." Upon one occasion she thought that herself 
and children were bewitched. These early impres- 
sions lingered long in the life of Luther. 

The temperamental traits of the mother are 
seen in Luther. He was at all times sensitive to 
religious influences and impressions. "He was a 
dreamy, contemplative child ; and the unseen world 
was never out of his thoughts." 1 

Early in life Luther was sent to the community 
school, and his instruction included a study of the 
Psalter, and classical religious hymns. Eeligious 
exercises played an important part in the daily 
program of the school. 

An early mystical influence that entered into 
Luther's experience was the instruction he received 
while attending school at Magdeburg, in 1497, when 

1 Lindsay: The Reformation. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 41 

fourteen years of age. The school was conducted 
by members of the "Noll Brothers." This society 
was associated with the mystical organization 
known as the "Brethren of the Common Life." The 
teachings and the views of this organization have 
been termed the "new mysticism." 2 

When one considers the life and work of Luther, 
he can see how they conformed to the ideals of this 
"new mysticism," the roots of which were planted 
in the young mind while at school at Magdeburg. 
The writings of members of this group had a great 
influence upon Luther in his later studies. 

After spending a year at Magdeburg, Luther 
was sent to Eisenach for the furthering of his edu- 
cation. At the school of St. George's Church he 
proved to be a good student. In addition to the 
excellent instruction he received at this school, two 
strong influences entered into his life ; the parental 
attention and religious instruction he received in 
the Cotta home, and also the presence of the order 
of the Franciscans in the city. 

In 1501, Luther entered the University of Er- 
furt. As a preparation for law studies he was 
trained in Philosophy. The works of Aristotle were 
the chief text-books. The influence of the mystical 
element in this classical philosopher is seen in 
Luther's discussion of the topic of Christ as the 
Word of God. In this he enters into a philosophical 
discussion maintaining "the unity of essence be- 

2 For a characterization of this organization see Jones' 
"Studies in Mystical Religion." 



42 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

tween the Father and the Son, together with their 
difference in person." In this discussion Luther 
availed himself of the philosophy of Aristotle with 
which he was acquainted. 

In Erfurt, Luther also studied the works of 
D'Ailly, Gerson, Biel and Occam. All these au- 
thors strengthened the mystical element in Luther. 
Luther held Gerson in high esteem and looked upon 
him as one who had attained a true understanding 
of the Gospel. He commends the writings of Ger- 
son because they dealt with spiritual temptations 
as apart from those of the flesh. He places Gerson 
even above St. Augustine in this matter. 

William of Occam was Luther's favorite schol- 
astic. Occam, together with Biel and D'Ailly 
were the exponents of nominalism, and this phil- 
osophy appealed to Luther. Dr. Jacobs writes: 
"To Luther the mystical side of nominalism was at- 
tractive; since it taught that, as subjects can be 
known only individually, all other truth must be 
remitted to the domain of faith." 3 The teachings 
of nominalism when applied to the Church empha- 
sized the individual Church above the Papacy. 
Both Occam and D'Ailly had spoken against the 
authority of Kome. The influence of these teachers 
and this philosophy — especially its mystical ten- 
dency — upon Luther is seen later in his attitude 
toward the supremacy of Rome. 

As a result of a vow made during a mystical 
experience, discussed later in this study, Luther 

3 Jacobs: Martin Luther, p. 16. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 43 

entered, on July 17, 1505, the Augustinian monas- 
tery at Erfurt, with the hope of securing peace for 
his soul through living a monk's life. Many ele- 
ments in his monastery experience tended to deepen 
his mystical tendency. 

The first of these elements which we mention is 
the asceticism of the monastic life. It was char- 
acterized by humility, often of a false kind; by a 
strict self-denial, mortification of the body, fasting 
and other disciplines. Luther writes: "In truth 
I have often fasted until I became sick and was 
almost dead." Of his faithfulness to the rules of 
the monastery he writes : "Verily, I was a devout 
monk, and followed the rules of the order so strict- 
ly that I cannot tell you all. If ever a monk en- 
tered into heaven by his monkish merits, certainly I 
should have obtained entrance there. All the monks 
who knew me will confirm this ; and if it had lasted 
much longer, I should have become literally a 
martyr, through watchings, prayer, reading and 
other labors." 4 He even pursued some of his stud- 
ies "alone for the practical end that, by subjection 
to this discipline, he might find peace of conscience 
in assurance of salvation." In many of his efforts 
it was this mystical "assurance of salvation," and 
spiritual peace that Luther desired. He constantly 
sought personal experience. 

In the monastery, Luther's studies were a con- 
tinuation of the authors he followed in the Uni- 

4 Morris: Quaint Sayings and Doing's concerning- Luther, 
p. 33. 



44 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

versity, chiefly Gerson, Biel, D'Ailly, and Occam. 
A treatise by St. Bernard was placed in his hands 
from which he gained immediate and lasting ben- 
efits. During his spiritual struggles the aim of his 
friends was to show him the personal application 
of the Gospel and to call upon him to experience 
personally the message of the Scriptures. In the 
treatise by St. Bernard, the emphasis was placed 
upon the word "tibi" "for thee." The comfort Lu- 
ther received from this treatise can be seen in the 
fact that he reflects its influence in his explanation 
of the Lord's Supper, in his Small Catechism 
(1529) emphasizing the personal experience. He 
writes : 

Who is it, then, that receives this Sacrament 
'worthily? 

"Answer. Fasting and bodily preparation are 
indeed a good external discipline; but he is truly 
worthy and well prepared, who believes these 
words : 'Given and shed for you, for the remission 
of sins.' But he who does not believe these words, 
or who doubts, is unworthy and unfit; for these 
words: 'For you/ require truly believing hearts." 5 

Upon entering the Augustinian Order Luther 
received the name, "Brother Augustine." The 
writings of St. Augustine formed the basis of the 
constitution of the Order and his works were care- 
fully and faithfully studied. In these writings 
Luther found comfort and support for his faith. 
Luther claims that he followed the example of St. 

5 Jacobs: The Book of Concord. Vol. I, p. 374. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 45 

Augustine in going back to the sources of the Chris- 
tian faith rather than accepting the word of the 
Fathers. He constantly appealed to the writings 
of St. Augustine as for instance at the Leipzig Dis- 
putation. He held St. Augustine to be the highest 
among the Church Fathers, and referred his friends 
to his writings. 

Two personal friends came to Luther's aid in 
his spiritual conflicts, the Father Confessor of the 
monastery, whose name has not been preserved to 
history, and the Vicar-General of the Order, John 
von Staupitz. The former brought comfort to Lu- 
ther by making personal application of the Gospel, 
a particular instance of which is given in another 
part of this chapter. 

Dr. Staupitz is described as being "of a deeply 
mystical type of Christianity," also that he stood 
"upon the basis of the hitherto practical mysti- 
cism." 6 Luther acknowledges the influence of Dr. 
Staupitz upon his life when he writes: "If Dr. 
Staupitz, or rather God, through Dr. Staupitz, had 
not aided me in this, I would have been long since 
in hell." Staupitz emphasized the love of God, the 
inward turning of the soul to God, and other teach- 
ings savoring of the mysticism of Tauler, and other 
German mystics. He taught Luther that much in 
his convent experience and life was useless, espe- 
cially the attempts to experience God through the 
so-called righteous works. He taught Luther that 
repentance was not so much an act, or succession 

6 Koestlin: The Theology of Luther. Eng. Tr. Vol. I, p. 68. 



46 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

of acts as a state of heart and life. This latter 
thought is echoed in the first of Luther's Mnety- 
Five Theses which were published in 1517: "Our 
Lord and Master Jesus Christ in saying: 'Repent 
ye; etc' intended that the whole life of believers 
should be penitence.'' 7 

The Augustinian Order required diligence in 
the study of the Holy Scriptures. Luther was very 
faithful in this study, giving special attention to 
the Psalter, Romans, and Hebrews. His study of 
Romans and other writings of Paul gave him com- 
fort. After he had gained a true conception of the 
righteousness of God as portrayed by Paul, he be- 
gan to find peace. Paul's words, "the just shall 
live by faith," brought peace to his troubled soul, 
and it was this phrase that entered into a number 
of the mystical experiences of Luther. One reason 
that Luther found comfort in the writings of Paul 
was that there is a marked similarity between the 
religious experiences of the two individuals. The 
teachings of Paul dominated the later thought of 
Luther, and furnished the central doctrine of the 
Reformation, "Justification by faith." 

Luther found comfort in the mystical character 
of Paul's experience, and teaching. For instance, 
we can take Paul's words in Galatians 2:20: "I 
am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet 
not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which 
I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son 

7 See Luther's Primary Works, edited by Wace and Bucheim. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 47 

of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." 
Commenting npon this verse, Luther writes : 

"He [Christ] is my form, my furniture and per- 
fection, adorning and beautifying my faith, as the 
colour, the clear light, or the whiteness do garnish 
and beautify the wall. Thus we are constrained 
grossly to set forth this matter. For we cannot 
spiritually conceive that Christ is so nearly joined 
and united unto us, as the colour of whiteness is 
unto the wall. Christ therefore, saith he, thus 
joined and united unto me and abiding in me liveth 
this life in me which now I live; yea, Christ Him- 
self is this life which now I live. Wherefore Christ 
and I in this behalf are both one." 8 

Luther gives a far more extensive treatment of 
this verse, but the above excerpt suffices to show 
Luther's perfect harmony and sympathy with the 
mysticism of Paul. 

The prayer life of the monastery was formal 
and lacked the warmth of personal religion. It 
consisted, mainly in conformity to "hours" and the 
repetition of the Pater Foster, and the Ave Maria. 
It is true that Luther found little or no comfort in 
this prayer life but it opened the way for a true 
prayer life which became a strong factor in Lu- 
ther's later life. 

Upon the recommendation of his monastery 
friend, Dr. Staupitz, Luther was called to be a pro- 
fessor at the University of Wittenberg. His first 

8 Luther's Commentary on Galatians. (S. S. Miles edition), 
p. 267. 



48 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

duty was that of lecturing upon the Dialectics and 
Physics of Aristotle. From the very first Luther 
had a dislike for philosophy, and preferred theology 
to philosophy. He availed himself of the oppor- 
tunity of introducing Scriptural studies along with 
the studies in Aristotle. He continued to study St. 
Augustine, the "patron saint" of the university. 
Also, he paid considerable attention to the study of 
the writings of St. Paul, who was the theological 
guide of the university teachers. It was during 
Luther's incumbency as a professor at Wittenberg 
that he made the journey to Rome, and met with 
such disappointment. On this journey he experi- 
enced a mystical state treated in another portion 
of this study. 

His studies in the Scriptures centered about 
Paul's letter to the Romans, and the Psalms. In 
the former he found the doctrine of Justification 
by Faith which was to mean so much to him later. 
In the Psalms he found that the writer had experi- 
ences similar to his own, and the record of the 
struggles and spiritual conflicts of the Psalmist 
came as a relief to Luther's heart. He paid partic- 
ular attention to the penitential Psalms, and he 
himself sought the "inward imparting of the for- 
giveness of sins." In his treatment of the Psalms 
we see the effort of Luther to experience the mes- 
sage of the Scripture. In his lectures upon the 
Psalms which he gave in 1513, and then again in 
1517, he made use of the writings of Bernhard, 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 49 

Hugo of St. Victor, and Bonaventura, all of whom 
were of a deep mystical nature. 

During this time, Luther was reading the mys- 
tical writings of Tauler. Luther's appreciation of 
Tauler's worth is seen in these words from a letter 
Luther wrote to Spalatin in 1516 : "If you take any 
pleasure in reading the ancient and pure Theology 
in the German language, read the sermons of John 
Tauler. For neither in the Latin, nor the German 
language, have I found purer and more wholesome 
theology, nor any that so agrees with the Gospel." 9 
Again, "Although he is unknown to the theologians 
in the schools, nevertheless I know that I have 
found more pure doctrine therein than I have found 
or can be found in all the books of the Scholastics 
at all universities." 

Through the writings of Tauler, Luther was at- 
tracted to a work known as the Theologia German- 
ica. 10 It became one of the chief sources of his mys- 
ticism. According to Winkworth this work was 
probably written in 1350. It is the "literary gem" 
of the religious movement known as the "Friends 
of God." The author of the work is unknown, but 
this is not strange when we know their principles 
of self-abnegation. The work was brought to light 
by Luther, who published a portion of it in 1516, 
under the title, "Was der alte und neue Mensch 

9 Jacobs: Martin Luther, p. 45. 

10 Theologia Germanica. Tr. from the German by Susanna 
Winkworth. London: Macmillian Co., Ltd. Prof. Reuss, the 
Librarian of the University of Wurtzburg - , discovered a manu- 
script of the Theolog-ia Germanica bearing- the date of 1497, 
which has been published by Prof. Pfieffer of Prague. 



50 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

sei." In 1518 he issued a second edition to which 
he added a preface giving his estimate of the work. 
Among other things he wrote : "Next to the Bible 
and St. Augustine, no book hath ever come into my 
hands, whence I have learnt, or would wish to learn 
more of what God, and Christ, and man and all 
things are." 

We close this portion of the study dealing with 
the mystical influences entering into Luther's life, 
with the comment of Koestlin : "The influence of 
mediaeval mysticism in giving shape to his general 
conception of doctrine is very marked." 

II. EVIDENCES OF LUTHER'S MYSTICISM. 

1. Mystical States. 

There is no doubt that Luther experienced "mys- 
tical states," and that these had a powerful influ- 
ence upon his life and action. His so-called "con- 
version" is the first of any importance. He was on 
his way from Mansfield to Erfurt, when he en- 
countered a severe storm. He became frightened 
and as was common to him and his day, he saw 
the hand of God in this manifestation of nature. 
He constantly realized the Unseen in the works of 
nature. "In an instant a flash of blinding splendor 
seemed to kindle the world, and a deafening thun- 
derclap shook the ground. It was as if death leaped 
upon Martin. He sank down, and so soon as he 
regained a clear consciousness of life, he cried out, 
"Help, sweet Saint Anne ; save me, save me, and I 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 51 

will become a monk." 11 This incident occurred on 
July 2, 1505. And against all the protests of his 
father and friends he entered the Augustinian 
cloister, on July 17th, thus carrying out the vow 
he made during the storm, and following what he 
believed to be the Divine Will. 

While in the monastery Luther had a constant 
spiritual struggle. He was constantly fretting 
about his sins and misdoings. 

In his classification of mystical states and ex- 
periences Professor James mentions first, "the 
deepened sense of the significance of a maxim or 
formula which sweeps over one." 12 It is interesting 
to note that he uses an experience of Luther to il- 
lustrate this type. Luther writes: "When a fel- 
low-monk one day repeated the words, 'I believe in 
the forgiveness of sins,' I saw the Scripture in an 
entirely new light; and straightway I felt as if I 
had found the door of Paradise thrown wide open." 

A similar experience is brought out in this 
record from Luther : "I often confessed to Dr. Stau- 
pitz, and put to him, not trivial matters, but ques- 
tions going to the very knot of the question. He 
answered me as all the other confessors have an- 
swered me : 'I do not understand.' At last he came 
to me one day, when I was at dinner, and said: 
'How is it that you are so sad, Brother Martin?' 
'Ah,' I replied, 'I am sad indeed.' 'You know not 
that such trials are good and necessary for you, 

11 Bayne: Martin Luther, Vol. I, p. 142. 

12 James: Varieties of Religious Experience. 



52 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

but would not be so for any one else.' All he meant 
to imply was, that as I bad some learning, I might, 
but for these trials, have become haughty and su- 
percilious; but I have felt since that what he said 
was, as it were, a voice and an inspiration of the 
Holy Spirit." 13 

Luther's "second conversion" is also illustrative 
of the mystical element. The thoughts of Staupitz, 
"acted upon, helped Luther gradually to win his 
way to peace, and he told Staupitz long afterwards 
that it was he who had made him see the rays of 
light which dispelled the darkness of his soul. In 
the end, the vision of the true relation of the be- 
lieving man to God came to him suddenly with all 
the force of a personal revelation and the storm- 
tossed soul was at rest. The sudden enlighten- 
ment, the personal revelation which was to change 
his whole life came to him when he was reading the 
Epistle to the Romans in his cell. It came to Paul 
when he was riding on the road to Damascus; to 
Augustine as he was lying under a fig-tree in 
the Nutan Garden ; to Francis as he paced anxious- 
ly the flag-stones of the Partincula chapel on the 
plain beneath Assissi ; to Suso as he sat at the table 
in the morning. It spoke through different words : 
to Paul, 'Why persecutest thou, me?' to Augustine, 
'Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no pro- 
vision for the flesh;' to Francis, 'Get you no gold, 
nor silver, nor brass in your purses, no wallet for 
your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes nor 

13 Table-Talk. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 53 

staff; 7 to Suso, 'My son, if thou wilt hear my 
words.' But though the words were different, the 
personal revelation which mastered the men was 
the same." 14 

A truly mystical state with an auditory experi- 
ence was the instance in the Church at Wittenberg. 
He had just began explaining the Epistle to the 
Komans. When he came to the thought the "just 
shall live by faith/' the idea penetrated his mind, 
and it seemed to him that he heard these words 
spoken aloud several times. 15 

In 1511, Luther made a journey to the Holy 
City, Rome, on business for the Order of which he 
was a member. His disappointment at the things 
he saw and heard had a telling effect upon his en- 
tire life, and hastened his break with the Catholic 
Church. It was while on this journey that Luther 
experienced what was virtually a mystical state. 

He was climbing the twenty-eight steps of the 
so-called judgment seat of Pilate, on his knees, that 
he might secure the treasure of indulgence by this 
act. While ascending the stairway there was a 
flash came to his mind and thought, that bore the 
message of his deep study of the Scripture, "The 
just shall live by faith." The words "came to him 
as though uttered in tones of thunder." 

2. Natural Mysticism. 

There is a deep strain of mysticism in Luther's 

14 Lindsay: The Reformation. Vol. I. 

15 Lombroso: The Man of Genius. 



54 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

view of nature. It is true that Luther had nothing 
in the way of a scientific view of nature but he ad- 
vanced beyond the prevailing thought that only the 
Evil One was manifested in nature. He held this 
to be true, as was common to his time, but he also 
saw God in nature. Natural mysticism may be 
defined in these words from Inge, "Nature is the 
language in which God expresses His thought ; but 
the thoughts are far more than language. " 16 Lu- 
ther saw a deep significance in nature. He saw the 
life of God reflected there, as in his words, "God 
is in the smallest creature, in the leaf, or the blade 
of grass." 17 

His interest in nature and his sympathetic in- 
terpretation is brought out in the following : "That 
little bird has chosen his shelter, and is quietly 
rocking himself to sleep without a care for tomor- 
row's lodging, calmly holding by his little twig, and 
leaving God to think for him." 18 

Pfleiderer says of Luther: "His feeling of na- 
ture was of a fineness, fervor, and sensibility such 

as belongs genuinely to poetic natures In his 

reflective contemplation and sympathetic vivifica- 
tion of nature no one stands nearer to Luther than 
Goethe." 19 

3. Symbolism. 

The study of mysticism reveals the fact that in 
all ages it has found expression in art and symbol- 
ic Inge: Christian Mysticism. 

17 Pfleiderer: Evolution and Theology, p. 72. 

18 Table-Talk. 

19 Pfleiderer: Evolution and Theology. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 55 

ism. Luther's father had a coat-of-arms composed 
of a bow and arrow flanked by two small roses. 
Luther adopted for his use a coat-of-arms using as 
its basis the rose, but he enlarged upon it in order 
to carry out his religious ideals and views. Jacobs 
speaks of Luther's design as "an emblem of his the- 
ology." The depth of meaning Luther places in 
each element of his design is characteristic of mys- 
ticism. 

Writing from Coburg, to Lazarus Spengler, 
Government Clerk at Nuremberg, who was a friend 
of Luther, he gives the following description of his 
coat-of-arms : "As you desire to know whether my 
seal is correct, I will give you my first thoughts, for 
good company, which I intend to have engraven 
upon my seal, as expressive of my theology. The 
first thing was to be a cross (black) within the 
heart, and having its natural color, to put me in 
mind that faith in Christ crucified saves us. 'For 
with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.' 
Now, although the cross is black, mortified, and in- 
tended to cause pain, yet does it not change the 
color of the heart, does not corrupt, i. e., does not 
kill, but keeps alive. 'For the just shall live by 
faith,' — but by faith in the Saviour. But this heart 
is fixed upon the center of a white rose, to show 
that faith causes joy and consolation and peace, not 
as the world gives peace and joy. For this reason 
the rose is white and not red, because white is the 
color of all angels and blessed spirits. This rose, 
moreover, is fixed in a sky-colored ground, to de- 



56 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

note that such, joy of faith in the spirit is but an 
earnest and beginning of heavenly joy to come, as 
anticipated and held by hope, though not yet re- 
vealed. And around this ground-base is a golden 
ring, to signify that such bliss in heaven is endless, 
and more precious than all the joys and treasures, 
since gold is the best and most precious metal." 20 

4. Diabolical Mysticism. 

"Diabolical mysticism" is a term used by Goer- 
res, in his five volume work on mysticism. 21 This 
term includes witchcraft and diabolical possession. 
It covers the so-called manifestations of the Evil 
One in nature. Professor James writes of it as "re- 
ligious mysticism turned up-side down." In com- 
mon with the beliefs of his time, Luther held many 
superstitions and false views in regard to the works 
of nature, and the diseases of the human body. The 
following paragraphs from Luther will show that 
his thought was saturated with this phase of mys- 
ticism. One day when there was a storm abroad, 
Luther said : " 'Tis the devil who does this ; the 
winds are nothing else than good or bad spirits. 
Hark! how the devil is putting and blowing." 22 
Again he writes: "Idiots, the lame, the blind, the 
dumb, are men in whom devils have established 
themselves; and all the physicians who heal those 
infirmities as though they proceeded from natural 

20 De Wette, 4:79 sqq. Quoted by Morris: Quaint Sayings, 
p. 175. 

21 Inge: Christian Mysticism. 

22 Michelet's Life of Luther. Tr. by Hazlitt. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 57 

causes, are ignorant blockheads, who know nothing 
about the power of the demon." 23 

"There is no proof," writes Ireland, "that the 
delusions and hallucinations to which the German 
reformer was subject did in any way alter or mod- 
ify his religious views." 24 But, surely, this type of 
mind, and temperament was a determining factor 
in the formation of his views. 

5. Religious Mysticism. 
A. General Conceptions, 
a. Faith. 

In any genuine religious faith there is a mys- 
tical element. To Luther, as to St. Paul, faith was 
not merely historical assent, but a warm religious 
experience. It was not mere acceptance of the his- 
toricity of Christ and the Gospel, but a real com- 
munion, and spiritual union with God and Christ. 
Faith to Luther, was "life to God." 25 "A gift of 
God," 26 Christ "standing in our hearts." 27 

Luther taught that "through faith" a Christian 
man "passes above himself into God; out of God 
he passes beneath himself through love, and yet 
remains ever in God and the divine love." 28 

He distinguishes two kinds of faith. "There 
are two kinds of believing : first, a believing about 
God which means that I believe that what is said 

23 Ibid. 

24 Ireland: The Blot upon the Brain, p. 55. 

25 Pfleiderer, p. 53. 

26 Ibid, p. 179. 

27 Lenker ed. 11:355. 

28 Primary Works, p. 131. 



58 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

of God is true. There is, secondly, a believing with- 
out any doubt that He will be and do to me accord- 
ing to the things said of Him. Such faith, which 
throws itself upon God, whether in life or in death, 
alone makes a Christian man." 29 The thought of 
throwing one's self back upon God is a thought 
expressed by many mystics. 

Faith is at the basis of God working in a Chris- 
tian. "The way of the Lord, as you have heard, is 
that he does all things within you, so that all our 
works are not ours but his, which comes by faith." 30 

b. Beason. 

Luther's attitude towards reason was that of a 
mystic. He subordinated reason to faith. It is 
true that the object of faith in Luther's case dif- 
fered from that of the extreme mystic. Luther's 
faith was grounded upon the message of the Holy 
Scriptures, while that of the extreme mystics is 
grounded upon the revelations received directly, 
personally, and intuitively. Luther held that rea- 
son had no share in things eternal, spiritual, and 
heavenly. When it attempted to interpret these 
things it should be designated as "Frau Hulda," 
"Harlot," etc. 31 He held the "feeble" knowledge 
of God attainable by reason to be "not a whit bet- 
ter than no knowledge at all." 32 

"It is not possible to understand even the smal- 
lest article of faith by human reason; so that no 

29 Er. 22:15. Lindsay, p. 429. 

30 Lenker, 10:124. 

31 Koestlin: Theology of Luther, Vol. I, p. 216. 

32 Ibid, p. 263. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 59 

man on earth, has ever been able to catch or grasp 
a proper idea, or certain knowledge of God." 33 His 
approach to the Scripture is indicated in his words : 
"Just shut your eyes and say: What Christ says 
must be true, though no man can understand how 
it can be true." 34 Luther contended that a thing 
might be false in philosophy and true in theology. 
"In theology, so much must be heard and believed, 
and established in the heart, God is truthful, how- 
ever absurd the things He declares in His Word 
may appear to reason." 

In his sermon for Ascension Bay, where he dis- 
cusses Christ's Ascension into Heaven, lie writes: 
"Beason cannot comprehend how this can be. 
therefore, it is an article of faith. Here one must 
close his eyes and not follow reason, but lay hold 
of all by faith. For how can reason grasp the 
thought that there should be a being like ourselves, 
who is all-seeing and knows all hearts and gives all 
men faith and the Spirit; or that he sits above in 
heaven, and yet is present with us and in us and 
rules over us? Therefore, strive not to compre- 
hend it, but say : This is Scripture and this is God's 
Word, which is immeasurably higher than all un- 
derstanding and reason. Cease your reasoning and 
lay hold of the Scriptures which testify of this be- 
ing — how He ascended to heaven and sits at the 
right hand of God and exercises dominion." 35 

33 Ibid, p. 264. 

34 Ibid, p. 265. 

35 Lenker, 12:191. 



60 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

In his view of reason, Luther imbibed the spirit 
of the older theologians who were wont to quote as 
their guides: "credo ut intelligam ;" and "credo 
quia impossibilis." 

c. Prayer. 

Prayer to Luther was "not an ascending of the 
mind (mentis) but an uplifting of the soul (an- 
imae)." 36 In prayer the believer's heart mounts 
up to God. The power of prayer, Luther taught, 
must be learned through experience. 

His familiarity with God, and his consciousness 
of His presence is brought out in this prayer of- 
fered by Luther at the Diet of Worms: "O, God, 
O Thou, my God, do Thou, my God stand by me, 
against all the world's wisdom and reason. Oh, do 
it. Thou must do it. Yea, Thou alone must do it. 
. . . . O God, dost Thou not hear me, O my God? 
Art Thou dead? .... Hast Thou chosen^ne for this 
work? I ask Thee how I may be sure of this. Thou 
art my God, where art Thou?" 37 The entire prayer 
offered under the trial of the occasion of which the 
above is but an extract breathes the same fervor 
and devotion and nearness to God. 

His own practice in prayer is suggested in his 
words written from Coburg to his friend Spalatin : 
"I am here like a hermit, and like a land without 
water. I am unable to produce anything which I 
consider worth writing about to you, except that 
with all the might of prayer, with prayerful sighs 

36 Koestlin, Vol. II, p. 472. 

37 Jacobs: Martin Luther, p. 196. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 61 

and groans, I endeavor to reach heaven, and, 
thongh wicked, knock at the gate of Him, who has 
said, 'Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' " 38 
Veit Dietrich writes of Luther: "He prays as 
devoutly as one who is conversing with God, and 
with such hope and faith as one who addresses his 
father." 39 

d. Mystical Method. 

Practically every mystic, and especially those 
who can be looked upon as leaders, laid down some 
plan or formula for the attainment of the highest 
states of mystical consciousness. St. Theresa had 
a methodical plan. The Theologia Germanica con- 
tains suggestions of such methods. The nearest ap- 
proach to such a mystical formula on the part of 
Luther is his statement, with its explanations : 
"Oratio, Tentatio, Meditatio faciunt Theologum."* 
Oratio, Luther explains in this manner : "Kneel in 
thy closet, and with real humility and earnestness 
beg God that through His dear Son He will give 
His Holy Spirit to you to enlighten you, guide you, 
and give you understanding; as thou seest that 
David in the 119th Psalm continually begs : Teach 
me, Lord; show me; guide me; instruct me; and 
the like. Even though he had the text of Moses, 
and well knew other books and daily heard and 
read them, yet did he wish to have the real Master 

38 Morris, p. 128. 

39 Ibid, p. 129. 

40 Gerberding: The Lutheran Pastor, p. 200. 



62 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

of the Scripture also that he might not be left to 
his own reason and be his own teacher." 

Commenting upon Tentatio, he says: "As soon 
as God's Word has free course through thee, Satan 
will visit thee to make a real doctor of thee, and by 
means of temptation to teach thee to seek and to 
love the Word of God." 

Luther explains Meditatio thus: "Not only in 
the heart, but externally to study and analyze the 
spoken and the written Word, to read it and read 
it again, with diligent attention and reflection in 
order to discover the meaning of the Holy Ghost 
in it." 

This is truly a mystical "ladder" suggested by 
Luther for the approach to God. 

e. Self-abnegation. 

A trait characteristic of Luther's mysticism is 
that of self-surrender even to the point of self-ab- 
negation ; an approach to "the Augustinian feeling 
of human nothingness." Luther advises believers 
to "lower and despise" themselves. 41 He refers to 
himself as "a poor offensive worm of the dust." 42 
He suggests to believers: "despair not of God's 
grace but of your own un worthiness." 43 "There is 
nothing but demerit and unworthiness on your 
side." 44 How like the message of the Theologia 
Germanica is the following: "Behold, here is the 

41 Lenker, 10:12. 

42 Ibid, 14:243. 

43 Ibid, 10:22. 

44 Ibid, 10:25. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 63 

beginning of your salvation; you relinquish, your 
works and despair of yourself; because you bear 
and see tbat all you do is sin and amounts to 
nothing." 45 

The feeling of "human-nothingness: extends to 
despair. Despair follows when man becomes con- 
scious of his evil motives, and realizes that it is 
impossible for him to love the law of God, finding 
nothing good in himself." 46 

This spirit of self-abnegation implies humility : 
"Therefore man must humble himself, and confess 
that he is lost and that all his works are sins, aye, 
that his whole life is sinful." 47 

This sense of human depravity is gained through 
faith: "For faith immediately teaches that every- 
thing human is nothing before God. Hence they 
despise self and think nothing of themselves." 48 

It is through self-surrender and self-abnegation 
that one overcomes trouble and finds peace : "They 
are the true and real pupils, who keep the law, who 
know and are conscious that they do evil, and make 
naught of themselves, surrender themselves, count 
all their works unclean in the eyes of God, and de- 
spair of goodness and all their own works. They 
who do this, shall have no trouble, except that they 
must not deceive themselves with vain fruitless 
thoughts and defer this matter until death; for if 

45 Ibid, 10:26. 

46 Ibid, 10:98. 

47 Ibid, 10:132. 

48 Ibid, 10:165. 



64 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

anyone persistently postpones until death, he will 
have a sad future." 49 

f. Quietism. 

Qietism is that form of mysticism which seeks 
"to attain to a perfect repose of the soul in God. 
Every desire and motion of the will is to be morti- 
fied. The will of God alone is to be active." 50 

The passive, inactive side of mysticism never 
appealed to Luther, but he sought for, and gained 
peace of mind and heart. This is shown in his 
every-day life, and in times of greatest storm and 
stress. He constantly felt the care of God about 
him, and showed his peace of soul by his indiffer- 
ence to worldly goods and possessions. This spirit 
is clearly shown in one verse of his famous "Ein 
Feste Burg :" 

"Destroy they our life, 
Goods, fame, child and wife? 
Let all pass amain, 
They still no conquest gain, 
For ours is still the Kingdom." 51 

Under trying circumstances we find that Luther 
possessed this peace of soul, and constantly felt he 
was doing God's will in his great reformatory ef- 
forts. Indicative of this spirit and peace of soul 
are his memorable words at the Diet of Worms: 

49 Ibid, 11:367, 368. 

50 A. G. Voigt, Lutheran Cyclopedia Article. 

51 Book of Worship. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 65 

"Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God 
help me." 

Luther makes the peace of quietism the mark 
of true faith. This is brought out especially in a 
sermon upon the lesson for the First Sunday after 
Trinity: "Among the fruits of faith are these: 

peace and joy For the fruit of faith is peace, 

not only that which one has outwardly, but that of 
which Paul speaks to the Phillipians ( 4, 7 ) saying 
it is peace that passeth all reason, sense, and under- 
standing. And where this peace is, one shall not 
and cannot judge according to reason." 52 

This peace is the mark of true Christians: 
"Thus we have the fruit whereby we know that we 
are true Christians. For he who has no peace in 
that in which the world finds nothing but unrest 
and is joyful in that in which the world is nothing 
but gloom and sorrow is not yet a Christian, and 

does not yet believe " He continues this 

thought in commenting upon an Easter hymn of 
the day, and accepts the message of the hymn by 
his words: "Christ will be our consolation, that 
we can and shall have no other consolation but 
Christ. He wants to be it himself and he alone, 
that we should cling to him in every time of need ; 
for he has conquered all for our benefit, and by his 
resurrection he comforts all troubled and sad 
hearts." 

g. Imitation of Christ. 

52 Lenker, 11:355. 



66 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

The imitation of Christ has been a favorite dis- 
cipline and theme of mystics. In fact, the work 
of Thomas a Kempis bearing this title has been 
termed the "finest flower of Christian mysticism.'' 
Lnther mentions that he studied Thomas a Kempis, 
and his influence is seen in Luther's writings. He 
writes, Christ "is the sun and is set for our ex- 
ample, which we must imitate. For this reason 
there will always be found among us some who are 
weak, others that are strong, and again some that 
are stronger; these are able to suffer less, those 
more; and so they must all continue in the imita- 
tion of Christ." 53 

This is also brought out in his sermon for the 
First Sunday after Easter: "The Lord desires to 
say : You have received enough from me, peace and 
joy, and all you should have ; for your person you 
need nothing more. Therefore labor now and fol- 
low my example, as I have done, so do ye. My 
Father sent Me into the world for your sake, that 
I might serve you, not for My own benefit. I have 
finished the work, have died for you, and given all 
that I am and have ; remember and do ye likewise, 
that henceforth ye may only serve and help every- 
body, otherwise ye would have nothing to do on 
earth." 54 

h. Interpretation of Scripture. 
In his interpretation of Scripture Luther fol- 
lowed to a great extent, especially in his early life 

53 Lenker, 11:212. 

54 Ibid, 11:359. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 67 

and work, mystical lines of explanation. This 
method may be defined as one that seeks for a 
meaning "which is not immediately signified by the 
inspired words." In using this method Luther was 
following a method that had been in common use 
previous to and during the time of the Reformation, 
and is found at the present time. 

In his Annotations Upon the Psalter he fol- 
lowed the traditional method of the old school of 
theologians and looks for a three-fold sense in Scrip- 
ture, the allegorical, the tropological, the mystical. 
In his interpretations of the Psalms he constantly 
seeks for, and diverges from the literal meaning to 
find "declarations of Christ concerning Himself." 

The same is true in his Church Postil, his ser- 
mons on the pericopes for the Church Year. Here 
he does not follow a scheme of interpretation of the 
Psalms, but adds to a literal explanation of the 
text a "spiritual meaning" of the passage. In be- 
ginning his interpretation of the lesson for the 
First Sunday in Advent, he writes: "Let us now 
treat of its hidden or spiritual meaning." Sim- 
ilarly, in opening the explanation of the lesson for 
the Second Sunday in Advent, he writes, "Finally, 
we must find also a hidden or spiritual meaning in 
this Gospel." 

As an example of his mystical interpretation we 
give his interpretation of Matthew 21:8, which 
reads, "And a very great multitude spread their 
garments in the way; others cut down branches 
from the trees, and strewed them in the way." 



68 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

In explaining this, Luther writes: "The gar- 
ments are the examples of the patriarchs and the 
prophets, and the histories of the Old Testament. 
For, as we shall learn, the multitude that went be- 
fore, signifies the saints before the birth of Christ, 
by whom the sermon in the New Testament and the 
way of faith are beautifully adorned and honored. 
Paul does likewise when he cites Abraham, Isaac, 
Jacob; and Peter cites Sarah, and, in Heb. 11, 
many patriarchs are named as examples, and by 
these are confirmed faith and the works of faith in 
a masterly way. The branches mean the sayings of 
the prophets, one of which is mentioned in this Gos- 
pel, which are not stories nor examples but the 
prophecy of God. The trees are the books of the 
prophets. Those who preach from these cut 
branches and spread them in the way of Christian 
faith." 55 

B. Formal Doctrines, 
a. Conception of God. 

Luther's conception of God was influenced by 
mysticism. This influence is seen in the following : 
"But the God who does have a meaning for us is 
the one whom the Scriptures show us as our God, 
for He gives us His presence, light and law, and 
talks with us." 56 

Again, "Since heaven is His throne, so does He 
extend far over the heavens ; and since the earth is 

55 Lenker, 10:54. 

56 Walch, 1:2324. Quoted by Walcott, Lutheran and Kantian 
Elements in Ritschl's Conception of God, p. 8. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 69 

His footstool, so must He also be in the entire 
world. He fills everything and must be every- 
where present." 57 

The entire doctrine of the Trinity is deeply mys- 
tical; teaching the oneness in essence of the three 
Persons. Luther found evidence of the Trinity in 
nature. The following involves both symbolism and 
natural mysticism: "The Trinity is discoverable 
throughout all creation. In the sun co-exist body, 
brilliancy, and heat; in rivers, body, current and 
strength ; the same is true of the arts, and sciences. 
In astronomy there are motion, light, and influ- 
ence; in music, the three notes, re, mi, fa; and so 
on. The schoolmen have neglected these import- 
ant signs for frivolities." 58 

b. The Holy Spirit. 

The doctrine of the Holy Spirit wherever found 
is mystical. It constantly implies "divine inter- 
vention." Luther depended upon the Holy Spirit 
to make clear the meaning of the Scripture. In 
addition to this thought he taught that the Spirit 
attests truth, leads men to action, applies the law, 
awakens faith, and dwells in the believer. In study 
and meditation he suggests that "the presence of 
the Holy Spirit" be sought. Luther conceived the 
Church as being comprised of believers who "have 
with them the Holy Spirit who sanctifies them and 
works in them by the Word and sacraments." 59 

57 Ibid, p. 6. 

58 Michelet, p. 268. 

59 Lenker, 14:249. 



70 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

c. The Scriptures. 

Besides a tendency towards the mystical inter- 
pretation of the Scriptures, Luther displayed a 
mystical trait in his general view of the Scriptures ; 
as to its value and use to the believer. Character- 
istic of his warm religious views is the following : 
"As the meadow is to the cow, the house to the 
man, the nest to the bird, the rock to the chamois, 
and the stream to the fish, so is the Holy Scriptures 
to the believing soul." 60 

Luther found God in the Scriptures. The Word 
came as spiritual food and nourishment to the soul 
of the believer. He writes: "We see that in all 
things it is not the food, but the Word of God that 
nourishes every human being." 61 

d. The Church. 

The Church to Luther was a mystical body. 
Each believer was united to Christ ; and thus they 
were united one to another, by all being united to 
one common Head. In partaking of the same sac- 
raments, mystical in their character, the members 
become a "community of saints." In a sermon for 
the "Second Christmas Day" he writes : "Now the 
Church is not wood and stone, but the company of 
believing people; one must hold to them and see 
how they believe, live and teach ; they surely have 
Christ in their midst." 62 

60 Lindsay, Vol. I, p. 211. 

61 Lenker, 11:140. 

62 Lenker, 10:170. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 71 

e. Justification by Faith. 

Luther's "basal principle was ever justification 
by faith in Christ, as set forth by Paul and experi- 
enced by himself. " 63 While he held justification to 
be a forensic act upon the part of God, yet the be- 
liever was to experience it ; and was to feel that he 
stood justified in the eyes of God. This justifica- 
tion the believer appropriated through faith, which 
is a mystical relationship. Faith is the hand by 
which the believer reaches out and takes hold of 
justification. 

f. Baptism. 

Using the word "symbol" in the sense of "some- 
thing which, in being what it is, is a sign and 
vehicle of something higher and better," Inge class- 
ifies the two sacraments, Baptism and the Euchar- 
ist, as truly mystical symbols. "Both are symbols 
of the mystical union between the Christian and 
the ascended Lord." 64 In this sense and even in a 
deeper sense these sacraments had a mystical con- 
tent in the view of Luther. 

The simplest statement from Luther bearing 
upon Baptism is from his Smaller Catechism: 
"Baptism is not simply water, but it is the water 
comprehended in God's command and connected 
with God's Word." 65 

In the view of Luther the benefits of Baptism 
also reveal its mystical character : "It worketh f or- 

63 Koestlin: Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia. 

64 Inge: Christian Mysticism, p. 256. 

65 Book of Concord, p. 370. 



72 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

giveness of sins, delivers from death, and the devil, 
and confers everlasting salvation on all who be- 
lieve as the Word and promise of God declare." 66 

In explaining how baptism produces these ef- 
fects, Luther writes: "It is not the water indeed 
that produces these effects, but the Word of God 
which accompanies and is connected with the 
water, and our faith, which, relies on the Word of 
God connected with the water. For the water 
without the Word of God, is simply water, and no 
baptism. But when connected with the Word of 
God, it is baptism ; that is, a precious water of life 
and a 'washing of regeneration in the Holy 
Ghost/ " 67 

The same thought is emphasized in his Larger 
Catechism. He insists that Baptism is more than 
water. "The substantial part in the water is God's 
Word, or command, and God's name." 68 A sacra- 
ment receives its validity by its connection with the 
Word: "When the Word is joined to the element, 
or earthly constituent, the result is a sacrament, 
that is, a holy divine thing, and sign." 69 "There- 
fore, I admonish that these two, the Word and the 
water, be by no means disunited and considered 
separately. For when the Word is taken away the 
water is no different from that which the servant 
uses for cooking purposes ; baptism under that con- 
dition might be called a bath-keeper's baptism. But 

66 Ibid, p. 370. 

67 Book of Concord, p. 371. 

68 Lenker, 24:160. 

69 Ibid, 24:161. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 73 

when the Word is present according to God's or- 
dinance, baptism is a sacrament and it is called 
Christ's sacrament." 70 

Baptism brings about a changed and renewed 
life. "Grace and righteousness are first imparted 
at Baptism. 71 It is then necessarily true that as 
one comes from his baptism he is clean and with- 
out sin, perfectly sinless." 72 

The presence of God in baptism, Luther teaches 
in these words : "To be baptized into God's name 
is to be baptized, not by man, but by God." 73 

The height of mysticism in Baptism is seen in 
the thought of union with God. Luther recognizes 
this union and the high position it holds in the in- 
terpretation of the doctrine of baptism, in the fol- 
lowing : "Now, we come to the correct understand- 
ing and conception of Baptism. The benefit of the 
sacrament of baptism is this, that therein God 
unites Himself with you and he becomes one with 
you in a gracious, comforting covenant." 74 

g. Lord's Supper. 

The mystic Meister Eckhart, speaking of the 
Lord's Supper, said, "I would never desire to eat 
and drink thereof, if there were not something of 
God in it." 75 Luther's doctrine of the "Keal Pres- 
ence" implies this same thought. In his Smaller 

70 Ibid. 

71 Ibid, 24:313. 

72 Ibid, 24:316. 

73 Ibid, 24:159. 

74 Lenker, 24:318. 

75 Remensnyder: Mysticism, p. 16. 



74 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

Catechism, Luther defines the Eucharist as "the 
true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, un- 
der the bread and wine, given unto us Christians 
to eat and to drink, as it was instituted by Christ 
Himself." 76 Similar to this is the explanation in the 
Larger Catechism, "it is the true body and blood 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, in and under the bread 
and wine which Christians are commanded by the 
Word of Christ to eat and to drink." 77 

Baptism remains the initiatory Sacrament, the 
Lord's Supper is the food and nourishment for the 
soul, therefore the believer receives it occasionally. 

Luther explained the presence of Christ in the 
Supper by saying, that Christ was "in, with, and 
under" the Bread and the Wine. In defense of 
his view he writes in his Greater Confession: "If 
the text was, In the bread is the body, or With the 
bread, or Under the bread, then would the fanatics 
have cried, See, Christ does not say 'The bread is 
My body, but In the bread is My body.' Gladly 
would we believe a true presence, if He had only 
said, 'This is My body.' That would be clear; but 
He only says, 'In the bread, ivith the bread, under 
the bread, is My body.' It consequently does not 
follow that His body is there. If Christ had said, 
In the bread is My body, they could more plausibly 
have said, Christ is in the bread spiritually, or by 
significance. For if they can find a figure in the 
words, This is My body, much more could they find 

76 Book of Concord, p. 375. 

77 Lenker, 24:175. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 75 

it in the other words, In the bread is My body : for 
it is a clearer and simpler utterance to say, This 
is my body than to say In this is my body." 78 

Luther's view found expression in a practical 
and popular way in his sermons. He writes of 
"having received the Lord and all that he is in the 
Lord's Supper." 79 

In a sermon on the Lord's Supper he echoes the 
teachings found in the catechisms, "We believe that 
the true body and blood of Christ is under the 
bread and wine, even as it is." 80 

h. The Mystical Union. 

The mystical union is that doctrine which 
teaches "that in Christ the very life of God has 
been given to man, and that those who truly re- 
ceive that life are really and truly united with 
God." 81 This teaching is found throughout the 
writings of Luther. He taught "the indwelling of 
Christ." The mystical union is closely associated 
with Luther's view of faith. It is through faith 
that the mystical union is realized. "This faith no 
condemned or wicked man has, nor can he have it, 
for the right ground of salvation which unites 
Christ and the believing heart is that they have all 
things in common." 82 

Again, this union is taught by Luther in these 
words : "Therefore, it is through faith that Christ 

78 Krauth: Conservative Reformation, p. 819. 

79 Lenker, 11:211. 

80 Lenker, 11:213. 

81 Lutheran Cyclopedia. 

82 Lenker, 10:143. 



76 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

becomes our own, and his love is the cause that we 
are His. He loves, we believe, thus both are united 
into one." 83 "Faith in Christ makes us one with 
Christ and gives us for our own all that is 
Christ's." 84 

Among the most mystical of Luther's writings 
and the one that bears out this teaching of the mys- 
tical union is "The Freedom of a Christian Man." 85 
This was one of the three works of Luther that 
opened the way for the Eeformation. According to 
Koelde, this work is "perhaps the most beautiful of 
Luther's writings, more the result of religious con- 
templation than theological work, a writing full of 
deep mystical thoughts, which, notwithstanding its 
peculiar reverence to the real relations of life, ever 
recurs to the world of thought of the mystic." 86 

A characteristic teaching of this work is : "The 
third incomparable grace of faith is this, that it 
unites the soul to Christ, as the wife to the hus- 
band; by which mystery, as the Apostle teaches, 
Christ and the soul are made one flesh. Now if 
they are one flesh, and if a true marriage — nay, by 
far the most perfect of all marriages — is accom- 
plished between them (for human marriages are 
but feeble types of this one great marriage), then 
it follows that they have become theirs in common, 
as well good things as evil things ; so that whatso- 
ever Christ possesses, that the believing soul may 

83 Lenker, 10:145. 

84 Lenker, 10:147. 

85 Wace and Bucheim: Luther's Primary Works. 

86 Quoted by Jacobs: Martin Luther, p. 165. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 77 

take to itself and boast of as its own, and what- 
ever belongs to the soul, that Christ claims as 
His." 87 

The thoughts expressed by Luther in this early 
work, are reflected in his later writings. In a ser- 
mon for the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity, he 
writes : "It must indeed be a great, fathomless and 
inexpressible love of God to us, that the divine na- 
ture unites thus with us and sinks itself into our 
flesh and blood, so that God's Son truly becomes 
one flesh and one body with us, and so lovingly re- 
ceives us that He is not only willing to be our 
brother, but also our bridegroom, and turns to us 
and gives us as our own all His divine treasures, 
wisdom, righteousness, life, strength, power, so that 
in Him we should also be partakers, of His di- 
vine nature." 88 

He, again, carries out the idea that this union 
is similar to a marriage, in these words: "The 
union and the marriage are accomplished by faith, 
so that I fully and freely rely upon Him, that He 

is mine This is a marriage and a union in the 

sense that they become one flesh." 89 

The mystical union is a fruit of the resurrection 
of Christ : "My Lord Christ has by His resurrec- 
tion conquered my need, my sin, death and all evil, 
and will be thus with and in me." 90 Luther's ad- 
miration for and harmony with the mysticism of 

87 Wace and Bucheim: Luther's Primary Works, p. 111. 

88 Lenker, 14:239. 

89 Lenker, 14:232. 

90 Lenker, 11:357. 



78 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

St. Paul, on the thought of the mystical union is 
seen in the following: "Just as we interpret the 
words of Christ, when He says : 'I am the life/ so 
also should we interpret these words, and say noth- 
ing philosophically of the life of the creatures in 
God; but on the contrary, we should consider how 
God lives in us, and makes us partakers of His life, 
so that we live through Him, of and in Him. For 
it cannot be denied that through Him natural life 
also exists, which even believers have from Him, as 
St. Paul says : 'In Him we live, and move, and have 
our being; for we are also His offspring.' 



7 ??91 



III. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LUTHER'S 
MYSTICISM. 

1. Union with God. 

Luther's experience of union with God was not 
the experience of the supreme mystical state of 
ecstacy. His sense of union is not characterized by 
transiency. Prof. Geo. A. Coe quotes Brother 
Lawrence, a Carmelite Monk, as follows : "It was 
a great delusion to think that the time of prayer 
ought to differ from other times; that we are as 
strictly obliged to adhere to God by action in the 
time of action, as by prayer in the time of prayer." 92 
This latter expresses the spirit of Luther's sense 
of union with God. 

An element of transiency is found in the sacra- 

91 Lenker, 10:188. 

92 Coe: The Religion of a Mature Mind, p. 225. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 79 

ment of the Eucharist. Christ comes to the be- 
liever in an especial manner upon each partaking 
of the Lord's Supper. 

However, in his theological conceptions of 
faith, mystical union, and other doctrines, Luther 
thought of this union as perpetual. . 

2. Search for Peace. 

Luther entered the monastery and was faithful 
in the performance of its disciplines in the hope 
that he might find peace for his mind and soul. He 
first found this peace upon such occasions as when 
the truth of "the forgiveness of sins," and "the just 
shall live by faith" came upon him. It was in these 
mystical states of consciousness that new light and 
peace broke in upon him. 

Meditation and prayer played a great part in 
bringing "mental peace" and "intellectual unity." 

3. Assurance. 

Closely associated with the search for peace is 
the desire for "assurance" of the forgiveness of 
one's sins and of one's acceptance with God. Luther 
taught that although "assurance" may not always 
be felt yet it should be felt. Koestlin writes : "Lu- 
ther is horrified that the Pope 'should have entire- 
ly prohibited the certainty and assurance of di- 
vine grace.' " 93 

Luther's position is summed up in the follow- 
ing : "I am particularly to be certain that the word 
of absolution, which pledges forgiveness to me in- 

93 Koestlin: Theology of Luther, Vol. II, p. 462. 



80 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

dividually, is the Word of God, I am to be fully 
assured that since I am now in Christ and cleansed 
from sin by faith my life is also pleasing to God." 94 

4. Inner Witness. 

Luther constantly sought the inner " witness of 
the spirit." One is to be inwardly prepared by the 
influence of the Holy Spirit. Then, too, the spirit 
within us should bear out the truth of the Scrip- 
tures and God's message to us. "Faith is also 
based on the inner witness which the spirit of God 
bears to believers in the right use of the Scriptures, 
not merely as regards its authority but also its con- 
tent, so that he considered himself permitted to 
distinguish the higher character and value of indi- 
vidual books included in the Bible." 95 

In this connection it should be said that Luther 
did not do away with the external Word nor did he 
exalt the inner word above the Scriptures as the 
extreme mystics did; but he occasionally declared, 
"In the same Word comes the Spirit and gives faith 
where and to whom He will." 96 It was through 
the Spirit that each believer was able "to realize 
ivithin himself that it (the Word) is truth." 97 

Again, he writes, "The Word, of itself, must 
satisfy the heart, must so enclose and lay hold up- 
on the man, that he, though ensnared in it, feels 
how true and right it is." 98 

94 Ibid. 

95 Koestlin: Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia article on Luther. 

96 Koestlin: Theology of Luther, 1:500. 

97 Ibid, 2:226. 

98 Ibid, 2:227. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 81 

In a sermon on the "Method and Fruits of Jus- 
tification, " Luther brings out clearly the thought 
of inner witness : "Christians may perceive by this 
whether they have in themselves the Holy Spirit, 
to-wit, the Spirit of sons; whether they hear His 
voice in their hearts: for Paul saith> He crieth in 
their hearts which He possesseth, Abba, Father ; he 
saith also, We have received the Spirit of adop- 
tion, whereby we cry Abba, Father.' Thou hear est 
this voice when thou findest so much faith in thy- 
self that thou dost assuredly without doubting, pre- 
sume that not only thy sins are forgiven, but also 
that thou art the beloved Son of God, who, being 
certain of eternal salvation, durst, both call Him 
Father, and be delighted in Him with a joyful and 
confident heart." 99 

5. Sense of Presence. 

Throughout his life Luther experienced the 
presence of the Unseen. He was governed by the 
impulse that God was with him and that he was 
doing God's will. This sense of presence gave him 
inspiration and courage for his work, and confi- 
dence in his final victory. In times of storm and 
stress he was especially confident of the presence 
of the Divine. He faced conference and Diet fear- 
lessly in the light of this experience. 

6. Experience. 

Eeligious experience was a dominating thought 
in the life of Luther. His conversion was a per- 

99 World's Great Sermons, Vol. I, p. 139. 



82 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

sonal, real experience. He came to a knowledge of 
the foremost tenets of his theology by "experience." 
His religious experience was a warm, vital, living 
part of his daily life. These experiences worked in 
two ways : an experience led him to a doctrine ; or 
a teaching led him to an experience. 

7. Pantheism. 

Many mystics have taught a pantheism in their 
conception of God and the universe. But a pan- 
theistic view of God is not essential to mysticism. 
Professor Everett suggests that pantheism differs 
from mysticism in that the former conceives God 
as immanent, and the latter conceives God as both 
immanent and transcendent. 100 There is very little 
evidence in Luther's theology of a pantheistic ten- 
dency. Walcott suggests that Luther's doctrine of 
the Lord's Supper savors of pantheism. 101 Luther 
thought of God as both immanent and transcend- 
ent. 

IV. PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION. 

1. Factors Contributing to Luther's Mysticism. 

a. Temperament. 

By heredity, Luther had a tendency toward 
subjective-mindedness. This is characteristic of 
mystics. Prof. Leuba describes it as "the prepon- 
derance in their consciousness of the sensations, 
ideas, and feelings of subjective origin, to the detri- 

100 Everett: Psychological Elements of Religious Faith. 

101 Walcott: Lutheran and Kantian Elements in Ritschl's 
Conception of God. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 83 

merit of the sensations, ideas, and feelings deter- 
mined more or less directly by, or referring to the 
ontside world." 102 

As a youth Luther was serious minded. "He 
had been piously trained, and religion was very 
real to him. His imagination was peopled with 
angels and demons, and his life was lived in con- 
stant dependence upon the aid and protection of 
saints. He was emotional by temperament, sub- 
ject to fits of depression, and exposed to attacks 
of anxiety and dread as to his fate which at times 
almost drove him wild. Even as a child he was 
frequently distressed by his sins and terrified by 
the fear of eternal punishment." 103 In early life he 
was haunted by "inner voices." He constantly had 
an alarmed conscience. The speculative talent was 
strong in him. These characteristics of youth in- 
fluenced the entire life of the reformer and pre- 
pared him for a mystical theology. 

Ribot mentions Luther as an example of his 
classification of "sensitive-actives." 104 

b. Sensitiveness. 

In addition to the general suggestions under 
the topic of temperament a special characteristic 
of Luther's nature was his sensitiveness, a "deli- 
cacy of appreciation." 105 This is seen in some fea- 
tures of his natural mysticism. 

102 Leuba: The Psychology of a Group of Christian Mystics. 
Mind, 14:15. 

103 McGiffert, Century Magazine, Dec. 1910. 

104 Ribot: The Psychology of the Emotions. 

105 Baldwin: Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology. 



84 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

He writes: "I lately saw two signs in the 
heavens. I looked from my window in the middle 
of the night, and saw the stars and all the majestic 
vault of Grod sustaining itself, without my being 
able to perceive the pillars on which the Creator 
had propped it. Nevertheless, it crumbled not 
away. There are those who search for these pil- 
lars and who would fain touch them with their 
hands ; but not being able to find them, they lament 
and fear that the heavens will fall. They might 
touch them, the heavens would never be moved. 
Again, I saw heavy clouds floating over my head 
like the ocean. I saw no prop to sustain them ; and 
still they fell not but saluted us gladly and passed 
on; and as they passed I distinguished an arch 
which upheld them, — a splendid rainbow. Slight 
it was without doubt, and delicate; one could not 
but tremble for it, under such a mass of clouds. So 
with us and our opponents. Our rainbow is weak ; 
their clouds are heavy; but the end will tell the 
strength of the bow." 106 

Luther constantly interprets nature in a warm 
and delicate manner. He brought this spirit along 
with his religious experience to the translation and 
interpretation of the Scriptures. Dr. Gottheil, a 
Hebrew scholar, bears this testimony to Luther as 
a translator : "I have often occasion to admire his 
intuitive guesses at the truth, and to follow him 
rather than the learned commentators. He was in 
fullest sympathy with the writers, and understood 

106 Clarke: Events and Epochs in Religious History, p. 258. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 85 

them by touch, if I may say so, where sight for- 
sook him." 107 

This trait in Luther has often been commented 
upon as a "kind of inspiration." It was this in- 
sight that gave him the key to human nature and 
life problems. 

His sensitiveness is seen in his love for music. 
He often said that "whoever did not love music 
could not be loved by Luther." He writes : "Music 
is a delightful and lovely gift of God ; it has so often 
excited and moved me, so that it quickened me to 
preach." He held that "music is a good antidote 
against temptation and evil thoughts." 

Music "banishes Satan," and renders men joy- 
ful; it causes men to forget all wrath, uncharity, 
pride, and other vices." 

c. Suggestibility. 

Luther was of a highly suggestible nature. This 
characterized him from early youth. A striking 
event bearing out this point is seen in a monastery 
incident. "As the Gospel lesson containing the ac- 
count of the man possessed of the devil (Matt. 
XVII) was being read in the Church at Erfurt, 
Luther fell down in the choir and raved like one 
possessed." 108 

Similar to the choir incident, in the effect pro- 
duced upon Luther, was an incident at Eisleben, 
which Luther describes in this manner : "When I 

107 Ibid, p. 260. 

108 Koestlin: Theology of Luther, Vol. I, p. 58. 



86 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

was young, it happened, that at Eisleben, on Cor- 
pus-Christi day, I was walking with the procession, 
in my priest's robes, when suddenly, the sight of 
the Holy Sacrament, which was carried by Dr. 
Staupitz, so terrified me (thinking in my blindness, 
that it was Jesus Christ Himself the Vicar-General 
was carrying — that Jesus Christ in person was 
there before me) that a cold sweat covered my body 
and I believed myself dying of terror. The pro- 
cession finished I confessed to Doctor Staupitz, and 
related to him what had happened to me. He re- 
plied, 'Your thoughts are not on Christ: Christ 
never alarms — He comforts.' These words filled me 
with joy, and were a great consolation to me." 109 

A more normal suggestibility we see in such in- 
stances where a truth comes over him with new 
force, as for instance, when a brother monk pointed 
out the words of the Apostles' Creed, "I believe in 
the forgiveness of sins," adding, "but we are not 
merely to believe that there is forgiveness for David 
or Peter; the command of God is, that we believe 
there is forgiveness for our own sins." This fol- 
lowed a conversation in which Luther was telling 
of his spiritual struggles. Luther then applied the 
message personally. 

In a similar manner he faced the question, "Do 
you, then, not know that the Lord Himself has com- 
manded us to hope (i. e. in His forgiving grace) ?" 
In this case it was the word "commanded" that 

109 Morris: Quaint Sayings and Doings Concerning Luther. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 87 

brought the results. He realized that he ought to 
believe iu absolution. 

Auto-suggestion is seen in his attempts to real- 
ize in his own experience truths presented to him. 
He constantly aimed to apply in a practical way 
the ideals that he discovered in study, and by 
other means. 

An element of "contrary suggestion" also ap- 
pears in Luther's mental frame. He was suggest- 
ible both positively and negatively. A simple case 
of the play of contrary suggestion is seen in an inci- 
dent in the family circle. Luther was in a melan- 
cholic spirit and was in despair, feeling that God 
had forsaken him. His wife remarked : "No, Mar- 
tin, there is no God." The suggestion awakened a 
lively faith in God, and drove away the melancholy. 

d. The Subconscious. 

The subconscious played an important part in 
the mysticism of Luther. The thunder-storm inci- 
dent which resulted in the vow which led Luther 
into the monastery illustrates the subconscious ac- 
tivity. The thought of serving the Church lingered 
long in his mind, and the incident brought to a 
focus the under currents of his mental processes, 
the subconscious activities. 

The message "the just shall live by faith" which 
came upon Luther with a suddenness and as a re- 
sult of a mystical state of consciousness also dem- 
onstrates the working of the subconscious. The 
message gained in the monastery came to him again 



88 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

and again, as for instance when in the pnlpit at 
Wittenberg, and also when climbing the stairway 
at Home. 

2. Contradictory Characters. 

It would be futile to attempt to harmonize the 
contradictions in Luther's nature. To use the 
phrase of Eibot there is evidence of "successive 
contradictory characters/' in Luther. 110 The line 
dividing these characters is his first conversion, 
which led him into the monastery. This turned all 
his ambitions and strength from a desire to succeed 
in public life (in law) , to service to the Church and 
to devotion to the religious life. The "second con- 
version" which was brought about by the message, 
"the just shall live by faith," changed his effort to 
gain peace through works to an effort to gain "ex- 
perience" and to trust for salvation and assurance 
through faith. 

In addition to this feature of "successive con- 
tradictory characters" in Luther's nature there is 
evidence of "simultaneous contradictory natures." 
We find him one moment the joyful individual, re- 
joicing in religious peace and comfort, and having 
a deep sense of assurance ; in the next he is melan- 
cholic and marked by remorse and despair. One 
moment he is sure that God is on his side and the 
next moment he feels that God has forsaken him. 

On the one hand he is marked by the spirit of 
self-abnegation. He considers himself a "poor 

110 Ribot: The Psychology of the Emotions. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 89 

worm of the dust." But soon lie recalls the great 
work he is engaged in and there comes upon him 
a sense of exaltation. He is sure that God has se- 
lected him for the particular task ; and he feels in- 
spired by God "to reveal His will to men." 

He proclaims upon one occasion the necessity of 
imitating Christ; and in turn shows the spirit of 
independence in stating that in all things we can- 
not imitate Christ ; and should only in those things 
which are especially emphasized. 

He was a man of warm sympathy for his friends 
and bitter hatred, in some cases, for his enemies. 
He contended constantly that he was anxious to 
have peace with his enemies; but occasionally 
aimed at vexing them. Upon one occasion he made 
a special effort to appear young and well before a 
Papal legation. His barber said: "Dear Doctor, 
that will gall them." Luther replied: "For this 
very reason I am doing it. They have vexed us 
more than enough: serpents and foxes must be 
treated in this manner." 111 

These, and like contradictions appear through- 
out the entire life of Luther. In some cases they 
can be explained upon apparent reasons ; in others 
they seem irreconcilable. These seeming contra- 
dictions in milder form gave poise and balance to 
Luther's nature; in their extreme form they prove 
unfavorable. 

3. Activity. 

Ill Morris: Quaint Sayings and Doings Concerning Luther. 



90 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

Linked with. Luther's sensitiveness was a high 
degree of activity. His sensitive nature shunned 
passiveness and contemplation for a life of action. 
Herein he differed from the extreme mystic. In 
1516, he said to Lang: "I have full employment 
for two secretaries. I do scarcely anything all day 
but write letters. I am preacher to the convent, 
reader of prayers at table, pastor and parish min- 
ister, director of studies, vicar of priory ( that is to 
say, prior ten times over), inspector of the fish- 
pond at Litzkau, counsel to the inns of Herzberg at 
Torgau, lecturer on St. Paul and commentator on 
the Psalms." 112 

The activity of Luther is seen in many lines. In 
the Reformation movement he stands out as the 
leading figure and moving force. D'Aubinge says : 
"The Reformation sprang living from his own 
heart." Many prepared the way for the Reforma- 
tion and many in the time of Luther were ready for 
the step but only Luther was prepared in heart and 
mind to make the step. He fearlessly nailed his 
Mnety-Five Theses upon the Church door at Wit- 
tenberg and just as fearlessly burned the Bull of 
the Pope. In the face of opposition and contrary 
to the advice of friends he carried on his work. 
"Protestantism and Martin Luther are synonym- 
ous terms," writes Frothingham. 

Luther was a voluminous writer. We have 
about one hundred and thirteen volumes from his 
pen. It was the effort of his pen that had a great 

112 Morris, p. 44. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 91 

influence in the Eeformation movement. His com- 
mentaries are used to this day. Delitzch writes: 
"In respect to experimental, mystic, and yet 
healthy knowledge of the meaning of Scripture, he 
is incomparable." 

His writings furthered the Reformation, not 
only in Germany but in other lands. An instance 
of the effect of Luther's writings is seen in the 
words of John Wesley: "In the evening, I went 
unwillingly to a society ( the Moravians ) in Alders- 
gate where one was reading Luther's Preface to the 
Epistle to the Romans. About quarter before nine, 
while he was describing the change which God 
works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt 
my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in 
Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assur- 
ance was given me that He had taken away my sins, 
even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and 
death." 

Early in his work, Luther saw the need of edu- 
cation upon the part of all classes. He advocated 
the founding of public schools and urged parents to 
attend to the education of their children. In 1524 
Luther addressed a "Letter to the Mayors and Al- 
dermen of all the Cities of Germany in behalf of 
Christian Schools." Among other things he wrote : 
"the welfare of a city does not consist alone in 
great treasures, firm walls, beautiful houses, and 

munitions of war But the highest welfare, 

safety and power of a city consists in able, learned, 
wise, upright, cultivated citizens, who can secure, 



92 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

preserve, and utilize every treasure and ad- 
vantage." 113 

Luther's catechisms were prepared in the light 
of the need of religious education of both young 
and old. 

Hurst sums up the influence of Luther upon 
education in the following: "Public schools, 
though crude at first, were introduced into Ger- 
many directly through Luther's labors. The inter- 
mediate schools between the primary and the high- 
est education were soon established. The German 
gymnasium of our times owes its origin to the 
period of the Reformation." 114 

Closely associated with the idea of popular ed- 
ucation is that of the public library. Having writ- 
ten a library of one hundred and thirteen volumes, 
we find Luther urging the founding of public li- 
braries. D'Aubinge writes: "Luther's attention 
was not limited to the education of ecclesiastics — 
he was desirous that learning should no longer be 
confined to the Church alone : and proposed to ex- 
tend it to the laity, who had hitherto been barred 
from it. He suggested the establishment of librar- 
ies, not limited merely to works and commentaries 
of scholastic divines and Fathers of the Church but 
furnished with the productions of orators, and 
poets, even though heathens, as also with books of 
literature, law, medicine, and history." 115 

113 Quoted in Lutheran Literature, Vol. I, No. 3, p. 69. 

114 Quoted in A Miracle Among Men, p. 8, by M. L. Peter. 

115 Peter, p. 11. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 93 

Luther's interest was not confined to the home- 
land. His interest included all nations. He was 
anxious that lands beyond Germany should enjoy 
the fruits of his movement. "Luther seizes every 
opportunity offered by a text of the Divine Word 
in order to remind believers of the distress of the 
'Heathen and the Turk' and earnestly urges them 
to pray in their behalf, and to send missionaries 
to them." 116 

His contribution to language and literature was 
also important. He gave form to the German 
language. Heine writes : "He translated the Bible 
from a language which had ceased to exist, into one 

which had not yet arrived Our dear master's 

thoughts had not only wings but hands ; his faults 
have been more useful to us than the virtues of 
better men; how Luther got the language into 
which he translated the Bible is to this hour, in- 
comprehensible to me." 

In like manner he left his impress upon poetry 
and music. Luther himself was no mean poet and 
hymnist. He translated and remodeled Latin 
hymns and also sung his own German compositions, 
which he set to music. He was often spoken of as 
"the Wittenberg Mghtingale." His "Ein Feste 
Burg" is sung in many languages. His hymns had 
a great power in his work. The Jesuit Adam Cont- 
zen wrote : "the hymns of Luther have ruined more 
souls than all his writings and sermons." 

From a popular point of view, no result of Lu- 

116 Schaff-Herzog. 



94 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

ther's work stands out so prominently as. modern 
civil and religious liberty. Frederick the Great 
wrote: "Had Luther done nothing else but liber- 
ate the princes and the people from the servile 
bondage under which the dominion of the Eoman 
papacy held them, he would deserve to have a mon- 
ument erected as the Liberator of his country." 

His stand for freedom of thought at Worms and 
also his fearless ignoring of the Papal Bull were 
steps toward modern religious and civil freedom. 

His activity involved the idea of courage. This 
rests back upon his practical mysticism, "the or- 
dering of the life of an individual upon the basis of 
the sensation of some form of immediate commun- 
ion with God." 117 It was such a sense of personal 
communion with God and sense of guidance that 
lead Luther in his work. He writes: "God does 
not conduct, but drives me, and carries me forward. 
I am not master of my own actions. I would glad- 
ly live in peace, but I am cast into the midst of tu- 
mult and changes." 118 

It was this consciousness of guidance that es- 
tablished his confidence in God. In going up to the 
Diet of Worms he was cautioned, "There are plenty 
of cardinals and bishops at Worms. You will be 
burnt alive, and your body reduced to ashes, as they 
did with John Huss." To this Luther replied: 
"Though they should enkindle a fire, whose flames 
should reach from Worms to Wittenberg, and rise 

117 Royce: Studies in Good and Evil. Meister Eckhart. 

118 Morris, p. 53. 



A Study in the Mysticism of Luther 95 

up to heaven, I would go through it in the name of 
the Lord, and stand before them. I would enter the 
jaws of the behemoth, break his teeth, and confess 
the Lord Jesus Christ." 119 

v. SUMMARY. 

By heredity, temperament, environment, and 
education, Luther was destined to develop a mys- 
tical element in his nature. This element is seen 
in his views of nature, his life experiences, and his 
formal theological teachings. 

Luther's mysticism did not lead him into ex- 
tremes, in fact he had difficulties with the fanatics 
and extreme mystics. He did not exalt feeling at 
the expense of the reason and the will. His active 
life is an evidence that his mysticism did not lead 
him into inactive contemplation, rather, was it an 
impelling force in his life. 

Armstrong writes: "Mysticism is a subordin- 
ate trait in his character, if not as some would 
have it the mainspring of his religious experience. 
The movement, also, which Luther heads, in spite 
of its divergence from the ancient forms, is aglow 
with fervor, pulsating under the influence of a deep 
spiritual life." 120 



119 Ibid. 

120 Armstrong: Transitional Eras in Thought, p. 61. 



A Psychological Study of 
Lutheranism 



CHAPTER III 

A PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY 
OF LUTHERANISM 




HE development of a Lutheran conscious- 
ness has been the message of Lutheran 
writers and speakers. The problem can 
be viewed theologically and psychologi- 
cally. Heretofore the emphasis has been placed up- 
on the former viewpoint with little or no atten- 
tion to the latter. "Consciousness" is a pyscho- 
logical term, and the term "Lutheran conscious- 
ness" is descriptive of the Lutheran content of 
mind. 

There is not only the doctrinal basis and defense 
of a denominational consciousness but also the psy- 
chological basis. The doctrinal viewpoint main- 
tains the necessity and the right of such a conscious- 
ness in the light of a higher doctrinal authority; 
the psychological viewpoint would be descriptive of 
this consciousness and would seek a partial, if not 
a total, explanation upon natural grounds. 

Lutheran theologians would not go the length 
to which Professor McComas goes in his conclu- 
sions in his book on "The Psychology of Religious 



100 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

Sects :" "Never has there been a sect made by God," 
and "Every group of worshippers has been drawn 
together by influences which may be explained 
naturally." However, there is a legitimate field 
for the investigation of the psychological factors in 
our denominationalism. 

"A psychological interpretation of the different 
Christian sects," writes Professor Ames, "requires 
that they be regarded as social organisms whose 
life history is much fuller and richer than can be 
measured by their intellectual doctrines. They are 
products and results of social movements, as well 
as means of control and guidance. Each denom- 
ination represents a type of personality, a social 
stratification, which is determined in its original 
pattern by the economic forces and the personal 
leadership which fashioned it. Afterwards it ag- 
gregates likeminded people to itself and stamps its 
members with its own marks. All Protestant 
bodies have common characteristics, within which 
there are differentiations and lesser organic 
growths of great variety." 1 

Lutheranism finds its beginning in the Protest- 
ant revolt of the sixteenth century. Its immediate 
cause was the sale of indulgences. Luther discov- 
ered this traffic while hearing penitents in the con- 
fessional. He immediately made an attack upon 
this practice, giving expression to his views in his 
"Mnety-Five Theses" which he nailed to the Castle 
Church door in Wittenberg, Oct. 31st, 1517. Back 

1 Ames: "The Psychology of Religious Experience," p. 380. 



A Psychological Study of Lutheranism 101 

of this act and all the early acts in Luther's re- 
formatory work was the man Luther with all his 
religious struggles, his convent life, his journey to 
Eome with its lasting impressions, and many other 
experiences. All his experiences went to make up 
a Protestant type of mind which under favorable 
circumstances and in line with other contributory 
forces led the way for the Keformation of the six- 
teenth century. 

In his "History of European Morals," Lecky 
suggests a characterization of the Catholic and 
Protestant types of mind in these words : "In the 
great convulsions of the sixteenth century the fem- 
inine type followed Catholicism, while Protestant- 
ism inclined more to the masculine type. Cathol- 
icism retained Virgin worship, which at once re- 
flected and sustained the first. The skill by which 
it acts upon the emotions by music, and painting, 
and solemn architecture, and imposing pageantry, 
its tendency to appeal to the imagination rather 
than to reason, and to foster modes of feeling rath- 
er than modes of thought, its assertion of absolute 
and infallible certainty, above all the manner in 
which it teaches its votary to throw himself per- 
petually on authority all tended in the same di- 
rection." 2 

President Cutten holds that the distinction be- 
tween Catholicism and Protestantism "chiefly cen- 
ter about differences of authority and emphasis. 

2 Quoted by Cutten: "The Psychological Phenomena of Chris- 
tianity," p. 461. 



102 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

The organization or its representatives is the au- 
thority in the Roman Catholic Church, and its em- 
phasis is laid upon death rather than upon life. 
Among Protestants authority is found in reason, 
conscience or the Bible, or in a combination of any 
or all of these with the Church organization." 3 

Again, Protestantism is analyzed by Professor 
Ames in these words : "Protestantism itself repre- 
sents the disintegration of the mediaeval social 
unity and the assertion of national and community, 
as well as personal, individualism. The Protestant 
type is therefore marked by initiative, aggression, 
and loyalty to personal leaders. Its parties are 
given to emphasis upon special reforms and to the 
elaboration of single principles, or half truths. Its 
name describes its spirit of revolt and dissent." 4 

Protestantism is, therefore, a type of mind es- 
sentially opposed to authority; it is dominated by 
the spirit of protest and revolt ; it is largely mascu- 
line and aggressive rather than feminine ; and it is 
given over to a strong individualism, and devotion 
and loyalty to personal leaders, self -chosen. 

As the origin of a religious denomination is a 
good index to its spirit and character, so too, the 
characteristics and the temperament of the leader 
and founder of an organization are an index to its 
character. Lutheranism is to a great extent the 
working out in a large group of the spirit and char- 
acteristics of Luther, its founder. Professor Ames 

3 Cutten: Ibid, p. 461. 

4 Ames: Ibid, p. 380. 



A Psychological Study of Luther anism 103 

holds that "Calvinism, even more than Lutheran- 
ism, is an expression of the mental traits of its 
founder." Nevertheless, the mental traits of Lu- 
ther have entered largely into Lutheranism. 

I shall turn to several writers in the field of the 
psychology of religion for interpretations of Lu- 
ther, the leader of the Protestant revolt. 

Professor Leuba writes: "Luther and St. Au- 
gustine were too profoundly religious to fall into 

the errors of intellectualism In the following 

comment on the first commandment in the Longer 
Catechism Luther carries one's thought forward to 
Feuerbach's radical belief that the gods are the 
children of men's thirst for happiness. What is it 
to have God, or what is God? A God denotes that 
something by means of which men shall be aware 
of all good things and wherein he shall have a 
refuge in every necessity.' " 5 

President Cutten holds that Luther had funda- 
mentally a Protestant type of mind: "With sim- 
ilar heredity and environment we find vastly differ- 
ent minds. Luther is a pertinent example of this. 
His parentage was Eoman Catholic, his training 
was Koman Catholic even to that of the cloister, 
and yet psychologically Luther was not a Koman 
Catholic. From the fact that many were found 
at the same time with similar tendencies, we might 
consider the psychological change from authority 
to rationalism to be the evolution of the race." 6 

5 Leuba: "A Psychological Study of Religion," p. 460. 

6 Cutten: Ibid. 



104 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

In his work, "The Interpretation of Keligious 
Experience/ 7 Professor Watson points ont that 
"the supremacy of the human conscience" was one 
of the leading principles held by Luther. He shows 
that Luther took a large and liberal view of the 
Scriptures, holding some portions superior to oth- 
ers. Luther also set aside the traditions of the 
Church for what he considered the fundamental 
truth, accepting the essential and discarding the 
non-essential. 7 

Dealing more specifically with Luther's char- 
acter, Professor Ames writes: "Luther was the 
incarnation of the free Teutonic spirit, with its in- 
dependence, spontaniety, and moral earnestness. 
The people for whom he was spokesman were over- 
burdened by papal taxation to aid in building St. 
Peter's at Eome and to maintain there an extrav- 
agant and luxurious court. Luther's visit to Italy 
prepared him to realize to the full the immorality 
of the sale of indulgences in his own province. This 
vicious development of the practice of meritorious 
'works,' aggravated by the effrontery of the papal 
agents and supported by the superstitious credulity 
in his countrymen, produced a profound revulsion 
in Luther's moral nature. It found expression in 
the text, 'The just shall live by faith.' " 9 

In reference to Luther's mystical strain, Hock- 
ing writes: "In Luther's appeal to grace, rather 
than works, his reliance on the forgiveness of sins ; 

7 Watson: "The Interpretation of Religious Experience," 
Vol. I, p. 151. 

8 Ames: Ibid, p. 382. 



A Psychological Study of Lutheranism 105 

in the self-abandonment of conversion ; and in many 
another assertion of the 'feeling of absolute depend- 
ence ;' we see other forms of this same principle of 
passivity which complete the preparation of the 
mystic." 9 

Lutheranism inherits from its founder a desire 
for deep personal religion, an antagonism to reason 
as opposed to revealed truth, opposition to human 
authority in matters of faith and religion, a high 
regard for the conscience of man, and a deep mys- 
tical strain in religious life and activity. 

Justification by faith, as the central doctrine 
of Lutheranism, is directly traceable to the relig- 
ious experience of Luther. Failing to find satisfac- 
tion for his spiritual longings in the meritorious 
works in and out of convent life, he found that sat- 
isfaction in Paul's teaching a the just shall live by 
faith." This profoundest of all of Luther's discov- 
eries in his spiritual struggles has become the cor- 
nerstone of Lutheranism and in fact of Protestant 
theology in general. 

Lutheranism was transplanted from the Old 
World to the New World by the many immigrants 
who came from Germany and other northern Eu- 
ropean countries. 

Taking up this historical viewpoint, Professor 
McComas writes: "A number of denominations in 
this country trace their history back to the people 
immediately affected by Luther's influence. Their 

9 Hocking: "The Meaning of God in Human Experience," 
p. 383. 



106 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

lineage is not only doctrinal but human. For the 
very people who responded to Luther were the an- 
cestors of many who stoutly defend his name to- 
day. The Lutheran is the greatest Protestant 
Church in the world today. The Lutheran Church 
in America would be one of the largest, if it were 
not divided into twenty-four divisions. Neverthe- 
less, through these divisions one may see certain 
characteristics in common. The first is that all of 
these separate bodies look back to the Augsburg 
Confession as the constitution of their faith. Some 
of them accept in addition Luther's Catechism, or 
the Smalkald Articles; or perhaps the Apos- 
tolic, the Mcene, or the Athanasian Creeds. Their 
central doctrine is salvation through faith in 
Christ, and their theology turns upon that. They 
are a people who retain the doctrinal tenets of the 
past, but have also a religious experience which 
runs parallel with their doctrines. They are neither 
as doctrinal as the Presbyterians, nor as insistent 
upon experience as the Methodist; but doctrines 
and devotion of a characteristic kind run through 
them all, despite national differences." 10 

Elsewhere, the same author adds these char- 
acteristics of the Lutheran Church in America: 
"The Lutherans, with twenty-four bodies, are alike 
in holding to doctrine as pre-eminent. Justifica- 
tion before God by means of faith is the central 
conviction. 'Faith' is not merely a matter of in- 
tellectual assent but also an emotional matter in 

10 McComas: "The Psychology of Religious Sects," p. 78. 



A Psychological Study of Lutheranism 107 

that the believer accepts Christ in a personal way. 
Their Chnrch history is fnll of theological battles. 
The understanding of doctrines has been of first 
importance. Education is encouraged, and the ed- 
ucation of the youth in the doctrines of the Church 
is a prominent part of the Church work; for the 
child is brought up to pass from the Sunday School 
to the Church as a natural process, — no radical ex- 
perience being expected The type is in the 

nature of the literal which makes for a dogmatic 
adherence to established doctrines and the emotion- 
al life is around these conceptions." 11 

The divisions of Lutheranism in this country 
are explained and accounted for upon several 
grounds. First of all, is the great diversity of lan- 
guages of the Churches which bear the name of 
Luther. Every country of northern Europe was 
affected by the Protestant Keformation and there 
arose in each country a Church with the Augsburg 
Confession as its symbol. By immigration these 
Churches have been transplanted to America, and 
the Church remains divided on account of lan- 
guage, racial, and national differences. The United 
Synod in the South owes its origin to the Civil War 
struggle and the division of the country upon the 
question of slavery, the right of secession, and other 
social and political questions. The General Coun- 
cil, although its existence is due to a parliamentary 
ruling, owes its origin to the fear on the part of 
some Lutheran leaders that the Church in this 

11 McComas: Ibid, p. 195. 



108 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

country was departing from the faith of the fathers, 
and the new general body was a movement to re- 
turn to the faith, the customs, and the traditions 
of the earlier Church, especially of the Reformation 
period. 

Discussing the early history of the Lutheran 
Church in this country, McComas writes: "Noth- 
ing was more natural than the drifting apart of 
the different national stocks in the growth of the 
great Lutheran Church, though the splendid work 
of Muhlenberg shows the possibilities of resisting 
such a natural drift. In the beginning of the 
eighteenth century there were a number of con- 
gregations of Dutch, Swedish, and German Lu- 
therans scattered through New York, New Jersey, 
Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Each was jealous of 
its rights and privileges and tenacious of its inde- 
pendence. Muhlenberg succeeded in working these 
various, dissimilar Churches into one great organ- 
ization, despite the great obstacles of language, 
separate interests, race prejudices and separation 
by great distances. As years went on, the various 
Churches used English more and more, their inter- 
ests became identified, the older forms of thought 
and custom which were identical with their for- 
eign homes became more uniform and took the 
character of their new environment. A great Am- 
erican Church was the outcome. Unfortunately, is- 
sues arose which later resulted in secessions. Nev- 
ertheless, the heroic work of the men who brought 
the struggling colonial Churches into one great 



A Psychological Study of Lutheranism 109 

brotherhood stands as a precedent and an inspira- 
tion, and presents the great issne of church unity 
squarely before the twenty-four bodies of the Lu- 
theran Church today." 12 

In our search for the typical Lutheran we shall 
make use of the plan followed by Dr. Jean du Buy, 
in his study of "Four Types of Protestants/' in 
which he suggests thirty topics for the comparison 
of the types he has under investigation. 13 We shall 
add such other characteristics as occur to us as 
distinctive of the Lutheran type. 

The typical Lutheran is dominated by the 
thought that the Bible is the supreme and infal- 
lible rule of faith and practice, and that the Augs- 
burg Confession is a correct exhibition of the fund- 
amental teachings of the Bible. The Lutheran 
finds his code of ethics in the Bible. He has a pro- 
found conviction of the existence of sin and that it 
is a great curse to be blotted out only through the 
love of God in Jesus Christ. The Lutheran sees in 
God a great loving personality in whom He should 
place his trust and confidence. Lutheran preach- 
ing centers about the sacrifice of Christ, for Lu- 
theran theology is Christo-centric, and every ser- 
mon is based upon this fundamental principle. 
Church membership in the Lutheran Church is all 
inclusive — the child in the Christian home is a 
member of the Church, although at a proper age 
the child is expected to make his own confession. 

12 McComas: Ibid, p. 64. 

13 American Journal of Religious Psychology and Education, 
Vol. Ill, No. 2. Nov., 1908, p. 165. 



110 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

The Lutheran distinguishes clearly between the 
functions of the State and the Church. He dele- 
gates to the State a certain work and to the Church 
another. The Lutheran is usually a person of av- 
erage education as the Church has always empha- 
sized the importance of education, secular and re- 
ligious. The Church has manifested considerable 
constructive efforts and organizing power. It is 
committed strongly to definite doctrines and is dog- 
matic in its positions. It stands for religious lib- 
erty, but not for liberalism in its ranks. It finds 
its authority in the Bible rather than in human in- 
stitutions or human creatures. It stands for civil 
liberty and was a forerunner in this principle. It 
has been actively engaged in missionary and phil- 
anthropic enterprises. 

The membership of the Church and the typical 
Lutheran is not highly emotional and the Church 
discourages extreme emotionalism. The emotion 
of a Lutheran centers in his doctrines. The Church 
has been characterized at times by waves of pietism, 
and piety is a mark of a Lutheran, with this piety 
often centering in the home and the family circle. 
The typical Lutheran is not necessarily of a cer- 
tain social class, he may be found in various social 
groups, although it is generally true that he is of 
the middle, or average social and economic group. 
The Church has laid emphasis upon all forms of 
education. It is not especially antagonistic to sci- 
ence, but has greater interest in the revelations of 
God as found in the Bible than in the discoveries 



A Psychological Study of Luther anism 111 

of man. It emphasizes infant baptism, and the re- 
ligious education of children. It preaches temper- 
ance in all things, but sees intemperance in the 
abuse rather than in the use of any creation of God. 
However, it is generally conceded that the Church 
is opposed to the saloon. This is especially true of 
the Americanized portion of the Church. It finds its 
growth dependent upon immigration and the nat- 
ural increase of the Lutheran population. The 
Church is largely conservative in all its endeavors. 
The Church is liturgical and great stress is placed 
upon music and upon congregational singing and 
worship. It is anti-legalistic and allows a great 
amount of freedom to the individual in the choice 
of his amusements and pleasures. The Church has 
always insisted upon a highly trained ministry and 
the laity are noted for their knowledge of the Bible 
and of theological questions. The typical Lutheran 
is a theologian. 

Little confidence is now placed in the attempt 
to classify individuals according to temperament. 
Upon this theory individuals were thought to be 
especially adapted to certain denominations. Mod- 
ern psychology teaches that the "self" is a product 
of contact with "others." Thus an individual takes 
on the characteristics of his group. The type of his 
consciousness is not a native endowment but a pro- 
duct of his relations with others. This theory does 
away with the old view of the existence of a pecul- 
iar type of people who are by nature "Lutheran ma- 
terial," while others are of such type of conscious- 



112 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

ness as to make them unsusceptible to the Lutheran 
appeal. The modern view, of course, admits the 
fact that adults are of a more or less fixed type of 
consciousness and are less impressionable than 
youth. On the other hand, it lends encouragement 
to work among all types of children and young 
people. 

Lutheranism, with its conservative tendency, 
its non-fraternizing spirit has not come under the 
sway of many of the "leveling forces" which have 
entered into the development of many other denom- 
inations. It is true that many Lutheran children 
have come under the influence of the public school, 
but many others have not come in touch with this 
great force because they have attended Lutheran 
parochial schools. The interdenominational young 
people's societies which have done much to break 
down denominational barriers have not penetrated 
far into Lutheranism for the Church soon instituted 
its own young people's work with a view of con- 
serving the Lutheran ideals. Even, the various 
general bodies have inaugurated their own distinc- 
tive young people's work apart from that of other 
branches of the Lutheran communion. 

In the forward look toward church union Lu- 
theranism faces the task of banding together its 
own divisions before a further step can be taken. 
It must overcome differences of polity, doctrine, 
and national and racial distinctions. 

"The various denominations," writes Professor 
Ames, "possess genuine social consciousness. That 



A Psychological Study of Lutheranism 113 

is their strength. But that consciousness is too 
much restricted both in outlook and in methods. 
What is now demanded by the spirit of the age is 
that they shall overcome their partial and limited 
historical functions and participate more fully and 
with scientific awareness and efficiency in the high- 
est ideals of the whole race." 14 

Is Lutheranism of God or of man? Of both. It 
is the province of the Lutheran theologian to de- 
termine the divine and human elements in our de- 
nominational consciousness. It is the work of the 
Lutheran pastor to emphasize the former while 
making only secondary use of the latter. 

14 Ames: Ibid, p. 395. 



The Psychology of the 
Religious Revival 



CHAPTER IV 

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE 
RELIGIOUS REVIVAL 1 




ii 



HE psychology of the religious revival 
involves both the psychology of the 
crowd and the psychology of leadership. 
The religious revival is essentially a 
psychological crowd and is a form of impulsive 
action." The fact that the revival is concerned 
with religious ideals and spiritual values does not 
dfferentiate it, from the viewpoint of psychology, 
from any other crowd no matter what the dominat- 
ing ideals of the crowd may be. The revivalist com- 
bines both the public speaker and the 'leader.' He 
is concerned with stirring the crowd to action. 
This latter statement is readily substantiated when 
one learns that leading revivalists have made a 
study of crowd psychology with a view of improv- 
ing their efforts in moving men to action. 

The revival as a psychological crowd is marked 
by a mental unity or a "sympathetic likeminded- 
ness." The meetings have been planned, fostered, 

1 This chapter is introduced for the purpose of contrasting 
the revival as a method in religious work with the method 
more generally accepted among Lutherans, which is dealt with 
in the next chapter. 



118 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

and are conducted by people of like beliefs, sympa- 
thies, and interests. There is a oneness in ideals 
and purposes. The workers aim at bringing into 
the fold those who are without, and seek to influ- 
ence individuals to accept their religious ideals and 
views ; they long for the salvation of others as they 
themselves have been saved. This mental unity 
breeds a mental contagion. Those who are indif- 
ferent to the ideals presented in the revival soon 
become sympathetic, and gradually accept the atti- 
tude of the majority and share in the oneness of 
the crowd mind. 

Contributing to this mental unity are the com- 
mon religious ideas held by the mass. They have a 
common conception of sin, a common view of God, 
or redemption and salvation. For the most part 
there is a common faith in the methods being used 
and a faith in the power of him who is in charge of 
the revival. This community of ideas is enhanced 
in certain localities by the fact that this method has 
been used l f rom all time ;' it is the approved method ; 
it has been characterized by success on previous oc- 
casions and the fruits of its presence have been 
seen in the community. At times it has been urged 
upon the minds of the people as the historical 
method — the method of the fathers — in spite of the 
fact that the religious revival as we know it dates 
from about 1734, although there have been religious 
mass movements throughout the history of the 
Christian Era, and previous to it. 

The mental unity of the audience in the revival 



The Psychology of the Religious Revival 119 

is prepared by advance advertising, announcements 
and other means used to awaken interest in the 
effort. The reading and hearing of the same thing 
about the revival to come, and the revivalist, tends 
to produce a common opinion and a common view- 
point, which cements the community together. A 
publicity agent precedes the revivalist heralding 
his past success, the number of converts, the 
amount of money raised, and the intense interest 
manifested in his work. Before his arrival in a 
new community he has the crowd with him. They 
are one as to their opinion of his ability and the 
possible outcome of his work in their community. 

This suggests the element of expectancy and of 
strained attention which plays such an important 
part in the psychology of the crowd. The hope of 
seeing results expressed by the entire crowd in- 
creases the oneness of the body and prepares it to 
receive messages in the same unity of mind, with 
little reflection or individual thought. 

The strained attention brings about an arrest 
of thought which makes the individual as a mem- 
ber of this psychological crowd less rational than 
he would be when passing judgment upon any mat- 
ter when free from his crowd. In a revival gath- 
ering the reason of the individual is held in abey- 
ance and he is no longer himself but one part of a 
larger whole. His opinions, thoughts, impulses, 
are largely determined by the attitude of the crowd 
or imposed by the leader of the meeting. 

The absence of reason exalts feeling, and emo- 



120 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

tion is therefore more characteristic of the religious 
revival than reason. "Emotional pressure is ex- 
erted at the expense of rational insight." The ex- 
tent to which feeling enters into the revival is gen- 
erally known. Excitement is one of its chief char- 
acteristics. We can not describe a religious revival 
as a body in which there is a unity of rationality so 
much as one in which there is a feeling in common. 

These mental traits which we have mentioned 
leave the individual mind in the group in a highly 
suggestible state. The oneness of mind in the group 
has produced a oneness in action and thus the in- 
dividual mind is prepared to accept and put into 
action suggestions that might come from the leader 
or others in the revival. This leads to 'conversions' 
which are due to social pressure rather than ration- 
al decision. A young man once confessed to me 
that his conversion experience was such as indi- 
cated that it was due to suggestion and social pres- 
sure rather than rational choice. His words were : 
"I went through that once, but it seems to me I was 
in sort of a trance ; that's what I felt when it was 
over." 

Suggestion plays a part not only in the attitude 
of the individual but also in the group as a whole. 
The revival audience will act as a unit upon sug- 
gestions from the revivalist. This is enhanced by 
many calls for united action. 

The imitative instinct is in full play in a psy- 
chological crowd. There are conversions which 
have been traced to imitation as the motive and 



The Psychology of the Religious Revival 121 

force. It leads individuals to take the same steps 
that others have taken, to follow the same plan 
others have followed in coming into harmony with 
the ideals of the revival. 

Eevivalists know the power and value of sug- 
gestion and make constant use of it in their efforts. 
The use often drifts into abuse. At a recent meet- 
ing of revivalists at Moody Institute, Chicago, the 
following criticism was passed upon such abuse by 
the Rev. Dr. Frederick E. Taylor, pastor of the 
First Baptist Church, Indianapolis, Ind. : "I have 
sat on pulpits and counted when evangelists have 
named the number of persons asking for prayer. 
'There's one, and another, and another, and yet 
another,' cried the evangelist, and he kept right on 
counting. All I could see were two hands in the 
whole room." 

That imitation plays an important part in the 
revival is seen from evidence coming from an or- 
ganization sympathetic with the revival methods. 
A national gathering of this body of religious work- 
ers recently decried the use of "decoy converts" in 
revivals, branding it as a method unbecoming the 
sanction of those dominated by proper ideals of 
religious work. 

That objective forces, social pressure, example, 
and imitation have a large share in religious re- 
vivals is seen from these tables adapted from Dr. 
Starbuck's investigations, 2 which suggest that these 

2 Starbuck: The Psychology of Religion, p. 54. 



122 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

forces are a greater factor in revival than in non- 
revival cases of conversion : 

I. Motives and forces present at conversion. 

Revival Non-revival 

Example and imitation. . 15 11 

Social pressure 23 14 

Objective forces 60 56 

II. In what conversion consists. 

Revival Non-revival 

Self -surrender 14 11 

Forgiveness 21 11 

Public confession 19 11 

Other factors of an objective character enter in- 
to both the mental unity of the audience and the 
play of suggestion which have not been mentioned 
thus far. One such factor is compactness of sitting 
in an audience. This plays a part in the religious 
revival. The crowding together of people, and the 
limiting of voluntary movements, tends to promote 
the mental unity and to make the crowd of a more 
suggestible character. Again, the order of service, 
involving congregational singing, the rising and 
sitting down of the audience, has the same unifying 
effect. The music of the revival meeting is usually 
of such a character as to aid in this. It occasion- 
ally has a martial 'swing,' or more frequently a 
rhythm which appeals to that which is instinctive 
in man. The applause of the non-religious gather- 
ing which has this unifying effect is supplanted in 



The Psychology of the Religious Revival 123 

the revival by the interjection of 'Amen' and the 
shouting of words and phrases indicating approval 
and acquiescence. 

The element of time also enters into the pro- 
cess. The revival effort is seldom, if ever, a one- 
night or one-meeting affair. It is usually protract- 
ed. The effect of gathering night after night for 
periods of two or three or more weeks intensifies 
the unity of the group. This implies repetition of 
the same message night after night which eventual- 
ly will influence the minds of many. 

While this chapter aims chiefly to deal with the 
revival audience, yet the study of the psychology 
of the revival would be incomplete without some 
mention of the revivalist and his share in the effort. 
Invariably, the revivalist is one who has had an 
experience similar to that which he desires to see 
in the lives of others. He thus speaks as one with 
authority. He has experienced the power of that 
which he is proclaiming. Not infrequently he 
makes a strong case from the fact that he was 
chiefest of sinners, and now holds a position of 
worth. Thus he establishes himself before his 
hearers as one with power. He has the sense of 
confidence in his message and in his ability to ap- 
ply that message to the hearts of men. Occasional- 
ly the revivalist is heralded as strongly as the re- 
vival itself. His previous success is published and 
the prospects of the new work are indicated. The 
true revivalist must be master of the situation, hav- 
ing absolute control of every detail in the working 



124 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

out of his plan. The work of such men as Moody, 
Chapman and others testify to the statesmanlike 
character of some revivalists. 

There are some abnormal effects of the revival 
in response to suggestion. These effects are both 
physical and psychical. Suggestion advances to 
hypnotism. Many revivalists use the method of 
the hypnotist in suggesting actions on the part 
of the individual. Many cases of hypnotism re- 
sult from revivals. Individuals are led to do 
many things not from choice but from pressure 
from others. Here also might be mentioned 
cases of hallucinations which are upon record, 
and visions, and of hearing of voices. From 
reports which I have been able to gather and from 
observation, all these phenomena have occurred in 
connection with revivals. A display of them was 
in connection with the revivalistic work of a Mrs. 
Maria Beulah Woodworth. She has written an 
autobiography entitled : "The Life, Work and Ex- 
perience of Maria Beulah Woodworth." I take 
from her book three extracts which bear out the 
statement that trance states are induced through 
the hypnotic influence of the revivalist. 

"One night during the meeting a young lady 
went into a trance; they sent word to her father 
that she wanted to see him. When told about it he 

swore he would tear up the M Church and 

show them that they should not make his daughter 
insane, but when he came into the church the spirit 
of God got hold of him, and in fifteen minutes he 



The Psychology of the Religious Revival 125 

was praising God for saving a poor sinner like 
Mm." (Page 195.) 

"A young sister, one of the converts, went home 
with them (Brother Mason and wife) to stay all 
night. She went to bed praying for them, and fell 
into a trance, and they, thinking something was the 
matter, got up and found her lying with her hands 
pointing to heaven. She was preaching and prais- 
ing God. She was so cold and stiff as if she was 
dead. They tried to bend her hands and lay them 
down, but they were so stiff it raised her head off 
the pillow." (Page 164.) 

She relates the following case of healing : "Souls 
were saved and bodies healed. Many of the old 
people said they never saw the power of God man- 
ifested in such a wonderful manner. They thanked 
God that they were permitted to see the Lord heal 
the sick and back up his words with signs and won- 
ders. A man from Washington, D. C., came to the 
meeting and was wonderfully healed. He had been 
afflicted for over twenty-five years with asthma, 
bronchitis, heart failure, and lung trouble." 
(Page 373.) 

To these phenomena may be added cases of 
hysteria, fainting and catalepsy. The latter I be- 
lieve is indicated in the second case cited from the 
work of Mrs. Woodworth. 

The separate phenomena of the religious revival 
have been interpreted in different ways. These may 
be reduced to three general theories. The first is 
that of the supernatural — all revival and conver- 



126 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

sion phenomena are manifestations of the Infinite, 
a supernatural event in each case. This was dis- 
carded for the pathological theory, in which all 
these special phenomena have been explained upon 
the basis that all were symptoms of disease. The 
more recent explanation is that based upon psy- 
chology. These phenomena for the most part are 
traceable to the workings of the laws of mind, and 
consciousness. To accept the latter does not elim- 
inate the supernatural. The psychological explana- 
tion has taken out a few of the factors and ex- 
plained them in relation to the psychic process. 

The criticism of Professor E. A. Boss, of the 
crowd in general, can be applied with equal force 
to the revival. The crowd is essentially unstable. 
We do not know where to count on it. It can be 
swayed one way and then another. For definite 
effort and sane movement it is uncertain. It is 
credulous and irrational. The individual critical 
mind is lost in the "throng sense. " It is ready to 
receive and act upon almost any suggestion without 
due reflection, or weighing of the evidence, or 
counting the cost. It is essentially characterized 
by simplicity — a simplicity that unfits it for serious 
action and endeavor. Finally, he writes, it lacks 
virtue, it is immoral. Surely that which is un- 
stable, credulous, irrational, simple, is not morally 
capable of dealing with the deep issues of life. 

"The most glaring danger is found in the emo- 
tionalism and excitement of religious revivals,' 7 
writes Professor Starbuck. "The effect is to induce 



The Psychology of the Religious Revival 127 

a state of mere feeling which, when it has passed, 
leaves no spiritual residuum; to drive persons to 
irrational conduct, so that when the reaction sets 
in, they reject not only their first profession, but 
the whole of religion." 

The study of the religious revival from the view- 
point of psychology would indicate that it has 
many, if not all, the characteristics of the psycho- 
logical crowd. It can be studied and analyzed from 
this point of view, which study will be suggestive 
for the improving of religious methods and work. 
To criticise the faults of the revival is in no way 
disparaging to religion nor to the individual exper- 
ience of conversion. It is hopeful in that it will 
lead to a search for sane and rational methods. 
Davenport writes: "Both conversion and religion 
are in themselves normal and healthful and sane. 
.... The comforting and tranquilizing influence of 
undefiled religion upon society is too evident to re- 
quire argument or even comment. But religion and 
religious methods worthy of the name will neither 
weaken the will nor enfeeble the rational powers." 



The Psychology of Confirmation 




CHAPTEE V 

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF 
CONFIRMATION 

HE rite of confirmation by which youths 
are received into full membership of the 
Church has been practiced with more or 
less regularity and uniformity through- 
out the history of the Lutheran Church. The 
Church of the Reformation, in following this plan 
of perpetuating itself, adopted a method that was 
in. vogue in the Catholic Church and the present 
system is taken in large measure from the practice 
of the Universal Church previous to the Protestant 
Reformation. 

The various studies made of confirmation have 
emphasized the Scriptural, the historical and the 
liturgical viewpoints. From the Scriptural stand- 
point it has been attempted to trace the origin of 
the practice of the rite of confirmation to Biblical 
sources, thus giving it the sanction of the authority 
of the Bible. However, Dr. Gerberding writes: 
"Many Lutheran writers on Catechetics have pro- 
fessed to find a formal and complete catechumenate 
in the New Testament Church. With them the wish 



132 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

is father to the thought, and the thought molds or 
invents the facts to suit. Nothing is gained by such 
procedure. A formal catechumenate did not exist 
in the New Testament Church. There is no trace 
of a regular, systematized course of instruction, to 
organized classes or to individuals previous to re- 
ception into the congregation by baptism." 1 

The historical viewpoint has engaged itself in 
tracing the development of the rite through the 
history of the Church, showing what different meth- 
ods have been followed in the Catholic Church be- 
fore and since the Reformation, and also among 
the Protestant forces. 

The liturgical studies have devoted time and 
energy to the determination of the attending prac- 
tices of the rite, the ritual, and the actual act of 
confirming rather than the study of the work of 
the catechumenate in the preparation of young peo- 
ple for reception into full membership of the 
Church. 

In all these studies the more fundamental 
aspect has been neglected, — the basis for the rite 
of confirmation in the very nature of youth itself, 
and the related psychological and pedagogical 
problems. 

Recent investigations in anthropology, sociol- 
ogy, and psychology reveal the fact that confirma- 
tion can find its justification in deep seated facts of 
the constitution of human nature itself. 

First of all, it has been learned that certain 

1 Gerberding: The Lutheran Catechist, p. 45. 



The Psychology of Confirmation 133 

rites similar in many respects to the rite of con- 
firmation exist almost universally among the tribes 
and nations of the earth. There seems to be a uni- 
versal custom that the young of all peoples are 
initiated into higher responsibilities and obliga- 
tions at the adolescent age — the age which corre- 
lates with the age of confirmation in the practices 
of Christendom. 

Exhaustive studies of these tribal practices 
have been made by several students, chief among 
them, Dr. G. Stanley Hall. The results of these 
studies appear in his two volumes on Adolescence. 
Typical of these practices among primitive peoples 
we select the following from Dr. Hall's work to 
illustrate our point : 

"The Omaha child was initiated into the tribe 
at three, but its individual life did not begin till its 
mind had 'become white/ or till events are recalled 
with clearness and full detail. This comes at about 
the age of puberty, when the youth is 'inducted into 
religious mysteries by a distinct personal experi- 
ence acquired by the rite, Non-zhin-zhon, which 
brought them into what was believed to be direct 
communication with the supernatural powers. In 
preparation for this rite, the Omaha youth was 
taught the tribal prayer. He was to sing it during 
the four nights and days of his vigil in some lonely 
place. As he left his home his parents put clay on 
his head, and to teach him self-control they placed 
a bow and arrow in his hand, with the injunction 
not to use them during his long fast, no matter how 



134 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

great the temptation might be. He was bidden to 
weep as he sung the prayer and to wipe his tears 
with the palms of his hands, to lift his wet hands to 
heaven, and then lay them on the earth. With these 
instructions, the youth departed to enter upon the 
trial of his endurance. When at last he fell into 
a sleep or trance and the vision came of bird or 
beast or cloud, bringing with it a cadence, this song 
became ever after the medium of communication 
between man and the mysterious power typified in 
his vision, and by it he summoned help and strength 
in the hour of his need.' The words of the prayer 
are addressed to Wa-Kon-da, the power that makes 
and brings to pass and is : 'Here, needy, he stands, 
and I am he.' It is far older than the advent of 
Columbus. It is a cry voicing the climacteric de- 
sire of the youth in his weary fast and vigil, as 
after long preparations he faces nature and the 
supernatural above. The melody is so soulful and 
appealingly prayerful that one can scarcely believe 
it to be of barbarous origin, yet what miracles may 
not religious feeling work. The boy is waiting, in 
fact, for a vision from on high, a revelation to be 
vouchsafed to him personally, and to show what 
his life is to be, whether that of a hunter, or of a 
warrior or medicine man, etc." 2 

In addition to the evidence that comes from 
anthropological studies, modern psychological in- 
vestigations show clearly that adolescence is the 
period of the "birth of the larger self." It is the 

2 Hall: Adolescence, Vol. II, p. 234. 



The Psychology of Confirmation 135 

period of physical expansion, intellectual growth, 
and religious awakening. It is the age of 'conver- 
sion' whether we use the term in the narrow or 
broad sense. 

While admitting that adolescent religious psy- 
chology is far from being complete, Professor Coe 
holds that three claims may be made for it. "In 
the first place, the analysis of cases has been suffi- 
ciently careful to establish results that are true at 
least for the particular cases examined. In the next 
place, these results have been brought into relation 
to the physical and mental traits that are charac- 
teristic of the period in general. Finally, the re- 
sults have been brought into relation also with a 
large body of religious customs and rites in the 
Christian Churches and in other religions." 3 

The investigations of Professor E. D. Starbuck, 
Ph. D., resulted in showing the number of conver- 
sions which occur for the respective years of the 
groups he studied as follows : 

Age ... 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 
Females 5 7 20 26 31 25 17 34 15 21 10 11 6 3 1 4 5 
Males. . 15 17 38 64 56 85 89 121 114 45 77 58 47 31 23 11 12 

In the above tables are included 776 graduates 
of Drew Theological Seminary. In this group the 
largest number experienced a religious awakening 
at 16 years and the average age for the group was 
16.4 years. In a group of 51 men Dr. Starbuck 
found the average age of conversion to be 15.7 

3 Coe: Education in Religion and Morals, p. 247. 



136 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

years. In a group of 86 women it was 13.8 years, 
and in a group of 75 boys it was 16.3 years, while 
in a group of 120 girls it was 13.7 years. 

From his investigations Dr. Starbuck formu- 
lates the following law : " Among the females there 
are two tidal waves of religious awakening at about 
13 and 16, followed by a less significant period at 
18; while among the males the great wave is at 
about 16, preceded by a wavelet at 12 and followed 
by a surging up at 18 or 19. " 4 

The studies of E. G. Lancaster show that of 598 
cases studied, 518 showed strongly that the years 
from 12 to 25 were years of religious awakening 
and inclination. In a study of 110 cases of boys 
and girls, Lancaster found the average for boys to 
be 15.6 and for girls 14.6 years. 

Dr. Luther H. Gulick found that the average 
age of religious awakening of 526 Y. M. C. A. offi- 
cers was 16.5 years. 

"Among 512 officers of Y. M. C. A.'s," writes 
Professor Coe, "the average age of the first deep 
religious impression appears to have been 13.7 
years. Among 99 men who were studied with refer- 
ence to all their periods of special interest, as many 
awakenings of the religious sense occurred at 12 
and 13 as at sixteen and seventeen." 5 

Professor Coe 6 combined his own statistics and 
those of other investigators with the following re- 

4 Starbuck: Psycholog-y of Religion. 

5 Coe: Education in Religion and Morals, p. 254. 

6 Coe: The Spiritual Life, p. 45. 



The Psychology of Confirmation 137 

suit, showing the average age of conversion or de- 
cisive awakening of a group of 1,784 men : 

No. of Cases Av. Age 

Graduates of Drew Theol. Seminary. 776 16.4 

Y. M. C. A. Officers . . 526 16.5 

Starbuck's Conversion Cases 51 15.7 

Starbuck's Cases of Spontaneous 

Awakening 75 16.3 

Members of Eock Eiver Conference. . 272 16.4 

Professor Coe's Own Cases 84 15.4 

Total 1,784 16.4 

The evidence to the effect that the adolescent 
period is normally a period of religious awakening 
is so strong that Professor Athearn writes : "No 
child passes through the adolescent period without 
being converted to something. It is not a question 
for the Church to discuss as to whether the child 
will be converted. Nature will take care of that. 
It is a question of to what will he be converted 
which should concern the Church. He may seek to 
find fulness of life by choosing as his example some 
popular hero, some bandit or cowboy lionized in 
cheap literature, or he may seek to find the life 
abundant by accepting Christ as the Pilot of his 
life. The Church school which fails to present the 
Christian life in such vivid imagery that it begets 
a joyous response in young lives, has failed at the 
most critical point." 7 

7 Athearn: The Church School, p. 188. 



138 Psychological Studies in Lutheranism 

My own investigation bears out the fact that 
the age of confirmation correlates with the age of 
religious awakening, and 'conversion' in the nar- 
rower meaning of the word. I found that the 
average age of confirmation was a little higher than 
the age of conversion and religious awakening as 
indicated in the statistics quoted above. In this 
connection it is well to remember that the age of 
confirmation may not be the age of religious awak- 
ening, and the 'awakening' is apt to have occurred 
previous to reception into Church membership. 
Professor Coe suggests that the Churches which 
practice the rite of confirmation are careful not to 
receive children at too early an age, and that this 
practice would account for the higher average than 
in the records of religious awakenings. The higher 
average age also is explained by the fact that the 
liturgical Churches which practice confirmation re- 
quire an intellectual preparation for Church mem- 
bership. This would tend to raise the average age. 

For the purpose of this investigation I used the 
records of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, through the kindness of 
the pastor, The Eev. Dr. C. E. Haupt. His care- 
ful and thorough records lend themselves to such 
an investigation. 

During the years 1891-1915 more than fifteen 
hundred persons were received into the member- 
ship of this Church, including adolescents who 
were received by the rite of confirmation and adults 
who were received by adult baptism and profession 



The Psychology of Confirmation 139 

of faith. My investigation covered 1,413 cases. I 
found that 485 were men and boys. The age at 
which the greatest number for any one age were 
received was 16 years. The average for all cases 
was 34.5 years, but this figure has very little sig- 
nificance. Using as the arbitrary limits of the 
adolescent period, ten and twenty-five years, I 
found that 361 cases of the group of men and boys 
were of the adolescent period and that the average 
age of confirmation for this period was 18.11 years. 

Of the total number of cases 928 were girls and 
women, or nearly twice as many females as males 
for the same period of time. There is something 
significant about this fact but we shall not deal 
with it. 

Of the 928, 626 were of the adolescent period. 
The average age of reception into membership for 
the females was 26.2 years, while that of the ad- 
olescent (10 to 25) females was 17.5, somewhat 
lower than that for the males. The greatest num- 
ber for any one age was 16 years, the same as for 
the males. 

The same facts can be well represented by this 
table : 



Age . . . 


13 


14 


15 


16 


17 


18 


19 


20 


21 


22 


23 


24 


25 


Males . . 


4 


17 


44 


78 


56 


37 


26 


24 


18 


18 


10 


16 


15 


Females 


15 


43 


87 


138 


124 


47 


45 


33 


24 


21 


26 


13 


14 


Total . . 


19 


60 


131 


216 


180 


84 


71 


57 


42 


39 


36 


29 


29 



This investigation which covers the records of 
only one pastor, ( and observation would lead us to 
believe that they are typical), bears out the fact 



140 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

that the age of confirmation compares with the age 
of adolescent awakening. Through such investiga- 
tions we can gain scientific assurance, of the value 
of that which practical wisdom has hitherto 
taught us. 

While there is a correlation between the age of 
conversion and the age of confirmation there are 
differences in the types of experience. This differ- 
ence of individual experience is due chiefly to early 
training and environment. Children who are 
taught to expect a 'conversion' experience are much 
more apt to have it than those not so taught. 
Emotional signs are generally lacking in the rite 
of confirmation, although occasionally the cere- 
mony calls forth a marked emotional expression. 

Studies made of conversion and religious awak- 
ening show the following to be some of the motives 
leading up to the experience : fear of God's wrath, 
death or Hell; also sorrow for sins known to have 
been committed. Motives for confirmation reflect 
very largely that which has been taught catechu- 
mens, and for the most part reveal a calm and de- 
liberate choice and step. 

In addition to pointing out that the adolescent 
age is the age of religious awakening, many stu- 
dents have gone further to seek the cause of the 
relationship between adolescence and religious 
awakening, tracing it largely to the sexual instinct 
and life. The relationship, however, is not neces- 
sarily causal. 

The psychological characteristics of the adoles- 



The Psychology of Confirmation 141 

cent period with which confirmation is concerned 
have been stndied extensively. We can only sug- 
gest them here. It is largely a period of self- 
assertion, when the youth passes from parental con- 
trol to self -choice and social control. It is a time 
when sentiment and romanticism play a great part 
in life. The social consciousness grows upon the 
individual and this is a part of the whole awaken- 
ing of the self. The latter part of the adolescent 
period is marked by reflectiveness, by original, con- 
structive thinking and interest in the larger prob- 
lems of life. 

The adolescent period is often a time of "storm 
and stress" although not all experience this. Early 
training can often forestall this. It is a period of 
special temptations and special problems. It is the 
time of intellectual difficulties when doubt fre- 
quently arises in the mind of the youth. It is the 
time when the conscience is especially sensitive. 

All these particular problems need especial and 
careful treatment. Above all there should be a 
sympathetic attitude toward the youthful inquirer 
for truth. Doubt has been too frequently handled 
by the catechist and pastor as the product of the 
Devil and a thing to be shunned and cast aside 
without proper treatment. The attitude of the 
modern pedagogue is to use doubt as the stepping 
stone to a greater grasp of truth. 

The method of confirmation, which presupposes 
a course of instruction, implies a gradual develop- 
ment. This is the great virtue of the confirmation 



142 Psychological Studies in Luther anism 

method as followed by the liturgical Churches. 
Modern students place no special credit to the 
spontaneous awakening and 'conversion' in prefer- 
ence to the confirmation method. Gradual growth 
as implied in confirmation is the one method com- 
mended by the leading students of religious psy- 
chology and pedagogy. 

Professor Ames writes : "All authorities agree 
that the normal religious development of adoles- 
cence is one of gradual growth." He also quotes 
Professor Starbuck as follows: "It is doubtless 
the ideal to be striven for that the development dur- 
ing adolescence should be so even and symmetrical 
that no crisis would be reached, that the capacity 
for spiritual assimilation should be constantly 
equal to the demands that are made on conscious- 
ness." 8 

To summarize the thought of this chapter : 

(1) In practicing the rite of confirmation as 
the culmination of a period of catechetical instruc- 
tion we are making use of a deep-seated fact of 
human nature — that the age of adolescence is a 
normal time of religious awakening. 

(2) Modern psychology and pedagogy recog- 
nize the superiority of a method that bridges the 
adolescent period without violent experiences in 
the adjustment of the individual. 

(3) There is need of greater knowledge and 
greater recognition on the part of catechists, pas- 

8 Ames: Psychology of Religious Experience, pp. 236, 237. 



The Psychology of Confirmation 143 

tors, and religious teachers of the results of psy- 
chological and pedagogical science in our methods 
of teaching, and also in the determination of the 
curriculum for our catechumens. 

(4) It is important that we stress the matter 
of making confirmation a time of personal decision 
and make the test of confirmation a personal con- 
viction. 



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